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From 2023, the monthly baseline wage of an entry-level waste collection crew worker is expected to increase each year to S$3,260 in 2028, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in a press release on Jan. 24.

This comes after the government accepted recommendations from the Tripartite Cluster for Waste Management (TCWM), which includes representatives from service buyers, service providers, unions, and government agencies.

Formed in 2021, the TCWM is tasked to develop the job ladders, training requirements, and wage benchmarks of the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the sector.

Wage increase for workers

The ministry said that up to 3,000 resident waste management workers will benefit from a six-year schedule of sustained PWM wage increases from 2023 to 2028.

The schedule will take effect from July. 1, 2023, with a review scheduled in 2025.

The expected monthly baseline wage for entry-level workers will increase from S$2,210 in 2023 to S$3,260 in 2028, with a growth rate of 48 per cent over the period.

The monthly gross wage will not include overtime pay.

Currently, these entry level workers earn around S$1,600 to S$1,800, Melissa Tan, chairman of the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore, told the The Straits Times.

MOM said that the recommended PWM wage schedule is in line with guidance from the Tripartite Workgroup on Lower-Wage Workers (TWG-LWW) to ensure lower-wage workers have "meaningful and sustained wage growth to gain ground with the median worker".

From January 2024, there will also be a mandatory annual PWM bonus for eligible waste management workers.

Career progression

There are also be proposed career ladders for the Waste Collection and Materials Recovery sub-sectors.

These career ladders will provide workers with "clear pathways to higher wages, better skills, and increased job responsibilities", said MOM.

In addition, there will be mandatory training requirements for workers.

All entry-level workers will need to attend a minimum of two Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) training modules, with a higher number of WSQ modules for higher-level job roles.

This will provide workers with the knowledge and skills to carry out their work safely and efficiently.

Waste management firms are recommended to ensure that their workers attain the training requirements by July. 1, 2023, said MOM.

The ministry added:

"It is vital that we continue to support the waste management industry in creating a more skilled and productive workforce, with more attractive careers for its workers."

Waste management is the first new sector to announce PWM recommendations this year.

Progressive wages are expected to cover up to 94 per cent of full-time lower-wage workers in Singapore by 2023, according to MOM.

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