SINGAPORE — Wages for Singaporean conservancy workers at all 15 PAP town councils are set to go up, starting from this month, after 19 contractors committed to implementing the progressive wage model for their employees.

A total of 2,500 workers will benefit if they undergo training to improve their productivity — cleaners’ pay will start from S$1,200, up from S$1,000, and machine operators will earn S$1,400 instead of S$1,200, for instance — said Dr Teo Ho Pin, who is coordinating chairman of the PAP town councils, but he acknowledged that service and conservancy (S&C) charges could creep up, as a result.

Speaking to reporters at the Memorandum of Understanding signing yesterday, Dr Teo said costs of maintenance are bound to increase when there are service improvements resulting from the training for the workers. He also noted that operating costs have been inching up over the last few years — lift maintenance costs have risen 30 to 40 per cent, while electricity tariffs have increased, for instance.

“But I think our residents understand that quality comes with a price. We want to do this to achieve a few objectives. First, we would like to better serve our residents (by) enhancing the conservancy standards in all our housing estates in all the 15 PAP Town Councils,” he said. “Second, we want to support the Government’s effort to increase the salary of the low-wage workers and also to protect the employment benefits of the low-wage workers.”

The PAP town councils’ move comes after the labour movement said last week it would make a big push for the progressive wage model to be the next wage model for workers across all sectors and levels — starting with the cleaning, landscaping and security sectors, in a drive to improve the lot of low-wage workers.

Under the progressive wage model, wage targets will be set for a group of workers, and these targets would be met when the workers undergo skills upgrading and improve their productivity. This means, for instance, training a worker to use machines, hence cutting down on the amount of labour needed and driving up salaries of workers. Companies that wish to land a conservancy contract in future with the PAP’s town councils will also have to implement this wage model.

The Workers’ Party, which runs the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council, did not respond to queries by press time.

Since November last year, the Government also required its cleaning contractors to be accredited under the voluntary Clean Mark scheme, which recognises companies that deliver high standards of cleaning by training workers and using equipment to improve work processes, as well as ensure fair employment practices to raise standards and professionalism in the cleaning industry.

Conservancy contractors hired by the PAP town councils told TODAY they hoped the progressive wage model would help attract more to join the sector. Said Managing Director of Clean Solutions, Mr Lim Chin Boon: “If we can attract more workers, we can aim to have more contracts.”

Mr Dennis Tan, General Manager of LS 2 Services, said productivity gains would help cut back on the number of workers needed.