Progressive wage bill for cleaners, security guards

[SINGAPORE] The progressive wage model pushed by the labour movement to boost the pay of low-wage workers will be made compulsory in the cleaning and security services sectors later this year.

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said yesterday that the government will table a bill in Parliament on Jan 20 that requires all cleaning businesses to have a licence to operate - and they must adopt the progressive wage model (PWM) if they want a licence.

The requirement will be extended to security services after the sector has thrashed out the PWM details with the tripartite partners.