NTUC in bid to extend wage model to banking sector

Singapore

BANK workers may soon enjoy higher wages through the progressive wage model (PWM) as the National Trades Union Congress extends the model to other sectors of the economy. Max Lim, president of Singapore Bank Employees' Union (SBEU), said on Friday that the union is trying to have a dialogue with banks to implement the PWM in the banking industry.

"The National Trades Union Congress is spearheading the PWM through our various union clusters to achieve its May Day theme of Better Workers, Better Jobs, Better Lives. The PWM has a clear wage, skill and career progression ladder," he said at the SBEU's 60th anniversary dinner. The SBEU has 6,000 members including general branch members and 33 banks under its fold. The government has supported the move to incorporate PWM for the cleaning sector and a similar approach would be extended to the security and landscape sectors. The PWM is part of a broad push to raise the income of low-wage workers.