Council plans to release the guidelines by end of October
Singapore's National Wages Council (NWC) is scheduled to convene this week to come up with the annual guidelines on wage and employment-related issues.
In an announcement from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the council will meet on September 1 to develop the guidelines for December 1, 2022, until November 30, 2023, taking into account the country's economic recovery and the "uncertain global economic outlook."
The NWC also intends to set out during the meeting its annual guidance on the range of Progressive Wage growth for lower-wage workers, according to MOM, including the details of the Occupational Progressive Wages for Administrators and Drivers set to be implemented on March 1, 2023.
The NWC aims to release the guidelines by the end of October, said MOM.
"Amidst an uncertain geopolitical climate and rising business and living costs, we must press on with business and workforce transformation in order to support wage growth that is underpinned by productivity increases," said NWC chairman Peter Seah in a statement.
"Wage flexibility is key for our businesses to navigate economic uncertainty, increase job security for employees, and ensure that wages are adjusted in a fair and sustainable manner," he added.
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Members of the public are also invited to share their views on wage-related issues, as well as their suggestions on the guidelines. Their feedback may be submitted to the NWC Secretariat online until September 9.
The NWC is a tripartite body comprising employer, employee, and government representatives. This year's council sees members, including Federico Donato, president of the European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore; Desmond Tan, deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress; Ng Chee Khern, permanent secretary of MOM; among others.
Seah said he looks forward to the council's discussions in the coming weeks.
"I look forward to robust discussions with our tripartite partners in the coming weeks to develop timely guidelines for employers," he said.
