Rise in wages must be matched by enhanced skills and services

While waste management workers welcomed the news of increased pay under the new Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the sector unveiled yesterday, employers and service providers acknowledge that it will drive up costs.

Yet, this increased cost is expected to be commensurate with higher service standards delivered by more skilled workers, as well as higher productivity as firms in the sector transform using technology, the employers and service providers added.

Under the PWM introduced by the tripartite cluster for the waste management industry, the monthly baseline wage for an entry-level waste collection crew worker is expected to jump by almost 50 per cent over a six-year period, starting from July 1 next year.

Waste management workers will also get a mandatory annual bonus from January 2024, which aims to help the sector retain and attract local workers.

Ms Melissa Tan, chairman of the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore, said the start date of July 2023 gives firms lead time to factor in the increased labour costs when preparing new contracts or bidding for them.