The National Wages Council (NWC) will convene on Aug. 29, 2024, to develop annual guidelines on wage and employment-related issues.

Their guidelines will cover the period for Dec. 1, 2024 to Nov. 30, 2025, according to a press release on Aug. 14 from the Ministry of Manpower.

The council is a tripartite group comprising representatives from employers, employees and the government.

Members include Ng Chee Khern, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Manpower, Sazali Zainal, general secretary of the ST Engineering Staff Union, and Sim Gim Guan, executive director of the Singapore National Employers Federation.

Previously in October 2023, the NWC recommended a one-off lump sum payment for workers to help cope with rising costs.

It also recommended that lower-wage workers receive a pay increment.

This year, the NWC aims to release its guidelines by November 2024.

MOM said:

"In its deliberations, the NWC will take into account Singapore's economic competitiveness, labour market conditions, inflation, productivity growth, as well as the global economic outlook.

The NWC will also continue to set out its annual guidance on the range of progressive wage growth for lower-wage workers."

Members of the public are invited to share their views on wage-related issues and the guidelines.

You can do so by submitting your feedback to the NWC Secretariat at https://go.gov.sg/nwc-feedback-2024 by Sep. 1, 2024.

Top image via BCA Singapore FB.