Singapore retail workers will get progressive wage model hike of at least S$130 from September
The recommendations will mean that retail workers will have a PWM wage increase of at least S$130 from when the new recommendations take effect on Sep 1.
The PWM recommendations were first unveiled in 2022, which had set a three-year schedule of sustained PWM wage increases till 2024. They were submitted by the tripartite partners – the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Ministry of Manpower and the Singapore National Employers Federation.
These recommendations aim to raise wages, strengthen career progression and support skills upgrading for retail workers in Singapore. They will cover more than 53,000 retail workers on the island.
Enhancements include improvements to the PWM wage schedule, career ladder and training requirements. For example, the recommended PWM baseline gross wages for a full-time retail assistant will rise from S$2,175 to S$2,305 per month as at Sep 1, 2025, to S$2,435 the year after and S$2,565 from September 2027.
Job roles and descriptions across the retail PWM have also been recommended to be refined, incorporating aspects such as the expectation of an increased use of digital tools. The TCR also recommended an expansion of the approved workforce skills qualification training modules.
TCR chair and NTUC assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling said: 'As the retail sector transforms and faces headwinds, so must our approach to helping our retail workers adapt and make progress in their career and wages.'
The recommendations come amid falling footfall for brick-and-mortar shops as e-commerce and overseas retail competition intensifies, said an NTUC statement. They also arrive before the launch of the Johor Bahru-Singapore rapid transit system link in December 2026. The fast shuttle link between the two cities will make it more convenient for Singapore residents capitalising on the ringgit exchange rate to shop in Johor Bahru.
Retail businesses are also facing rising operational costs, manpower shortages, and evolving customer expectations driven by omni-channel shopping behaviours, said the statement.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
NTUC partners logistic companies to help smaller firms transform their operations
NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said shifting trade rules and disruptions from AI mean it's critical for logistics firms to become more agile. That's why the labour movement is partnering with companies like ST Logistics to help other smaller firms transform their operations. This involves training 15,000 workers in areas like digitalisation, sustainability and workplace safety. Ivy Chok reports.
Business Times
13 hours ago
- Business Times
ST Logistics to upskill 15,000 supply chain workers through tripartite partnership
[SINGAPORE] About 15,000 supply chain and logistics professionals are expected to be trained under a tripartite partnership between ST Logistics, SkillsFuture Singapore (SkillsFuture SG) and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). In its continued role as a SkillsFuture Queen Bee, ST Logistics will train workers from its network of suppliers, in the areas of digitalisation, sustainability and workplace safety. This commitment was formalised under a memorandum of understanding signed on Thursday (Aug 14) at the Supply Chain Learning Festival 2025, organised by ST Logistics and the Supply Chain Employees' Union. As artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation reshape the supply chain and logistics landscape, jobs are being redefined and skillsets need to be recalibrated, said NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng. In its initial two-year tenure as a SkillsFuture Queen Bee – established players that support workforce skills development, especially for smaller companies – ST Logistics helped 80 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in its network with transformation. It has now been reappointed as a SkillsFuture Queen Bee in the supply chain and logistics sector for another three years. In this new term, it aims to train workers from over 150 suppliers. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Tailored training To this end, ST Logistics will co-develop SME-specific training and workplace learning solutions with partners such as NTUC LearningHub, National University of Singapore and the National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning led by Nanyang Polytechnic. This includes courses in areas such as AI, sustainability and digital supply chains; role-based upskilling through NTUC's learning platform; and structured workplace learning. ST Logistics will also launch a digital portal with curated training, progress tracking and best-practice sharing. This will enable sector-wide adoption of shared innovations, such as AI-enabled demand forecasting. Under the new tripartite partnership, ST Logistics' appointed skills managers will integrate NTUC resources into the outreach and advisory support provided to suppliers, thus offering more comprehensive help. The company will also work with its suppliers and NTUC to develop transformation plans and find scalable solutions to common challenges across its supplier network. Its suppliers may also tap NTUC's capability assessment resources and its Company Training Committee grant, which co-funds up to 70 per cent of qualifying costs for transformation projects or related training. Said ST Logistics chief executive officer Loganathan Ramasamy: 'Together, we're building a future-ready ecosystem that is digital at its core, sustainable in its mindset and safe for every worker who keeps our supply chains moving.'
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
Jalan Besar GRC MP Wan Rizal to join NTUC
SINGAPORE: Member of Parliament (MP) for Jalan Besar GRC Wan Rizal will join the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) as a director and labour MP, the labour movement announced on Wednesday (Aug 13). His appointment as its Employment and Employability Institute's (e2i) director of stakeholder management, career services and partnership group takes effect on Aug 18. As a labour MP, NTUC said Dr Rizal will speak up for workers' interests in parliament and champion the organisation's key advocacy areas. The focus will be on supporting lower-wage workers and strengthening engagement with the Malay-Muslim community. "Building on his parliamentary experience and active grassroots engagement with workers across different sectors, Dr Rizal would bring his valuable insights into their aspirations and concerns," said NTUC. "His appointment reflects NTUC's ongoing efforts to stay closely connected with the community and deepen its understanding of workers' needs to improve their wages, welfare, and work prospects." MP for Jalan Besar GRC since 2020, Dr Rizal is a senior lecturer at Republic Polytechnic. NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said his presence "further strengthens NTUC's ability to understand, represent and advocate for all workers". As director of stakeholder management at NTUC's e2i, Dr Rizal will work closely with community partners, union leaders, grassroots advisers and other stakeholders to strengthen relationships and organise career fairs and events that connect job seekers with work opportunities, said NTUC. He will also lead the development of strategies and programmes that support workers' innovation, employability and long-term career growth. Dr Rizal's grassroots connections and understanding of the challenges faced by lower-wage and mature workers, particularly within the Malay-Muslim community, will be invaluable, said Caryn Lim, CEO of e2i. She added that his experience will help e2i sharpen its focus on reaching underserved groups and design career services and programmes that meet their specific needs. 'I am honoured to join NTUC and NTUC's e2i in this new capacity. In my years as an educator, community leader and Member of Parliament," said Dr Rizal. "I've met workers who felt left behind - whether it's because of age, income, or background. I hope to be a strong bridge between workers and policy, and to champion the interests of lower-wage workers, mature workers - including those within our Malay-Muslim community.' According to the Singapore parliament website, Dr Rizal currently serves on the Punggol East Citizen Consultative Committee for Punggol East SMC. He was previously chairman of the mosque management board for Al-Islah Mosque and a member of the inter-racial and religious confidence circles for Punggol North and Punggol West. In its statement, NTUC also expressed its appreciation for Mr Fahmi Aliman, former director of operations and mobilisation division secretariat, who stepped down on Jun 30.
