FOR some time now the labour movement in Singapore has been promoting, in lieu of a minimum wage system, a "progressive wage model" aimed at improving the lot of low-wage earners. The government has now taken the efforts a big step further in legislating the scheme, at least in two sectors. Businesses in the cleaning and security services will soon have to adopt a tiered wage system, with cleaners' entry salary set at $1,000.
It's a laudable if bold move on the part of the government to, in effect,...