Latest news with #TCR
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Singapore: Lower-wage retail workers to receive up to 6% pay bump from Sept 1
Arfah Mohamad Nasir, 23, is working on a flower bouquet at Far East Flora Centre. Lower-wage resident retail workers can expect an annual salary bump over the next three years. -- ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Lower-wage resident retail workers can expect an annual salary bump ranging from 5.1 per cent to 6 per cent over the next three years. Full-time retail staff will receive these increments, amounting to $130 to $160 per year, from Sept 1, 2025, to Aug 31, 2028. Part-timers who work less than 35 hours a week can also expect an increase of close to 6 per cent in their hourly gross pay from Sept 1, before further hikes in subsequent years. The pay increase from Sept 1, 2027, is subject to review in 2026, as it may be adjusted upwards if the economic situation improves. The announcement was made by the Tripartite Cluster for Retail Industry (TCR) on Aug 11, after the Government accepted its new recommendations on the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the retail sector. TCR introduced its first set of recommendations in 2022, leading to an annual pay hike of 8.4 per cent to 8.5 per cent over three years for lower-wage retail staff who are Singaporeans and permanent residents. In a press release on Aug 11, the National Trades Union Congress said TCR has taken a 'balanced and pragmatic approach' while proposing the new round of more modest wage hikes, given the challenges facing employers in the retail sector. Many of them are grappling with rising operational costs, a manpower shortage, growing competition from e-commerce platforms as well as overseas retail options, especially with the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link set to begin operations in early 2027. Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash noted that the global uncertainties were also taken into consideration. 'The Government is also watching the economic outlook closely, and if there's a requirement for us to make further changes along the way, we will consider that as well,' he told reporters during a visit to Far East Flora Centre on Aug 11. Under the new recommendations by TCR, entry-level retail workers will receive a monthly gross salary of at least $2,305 from Sept 1, up from the current $2,175. This excludes their overtime pay. Those who are more senior will see their baseline pay go up from S$2,395 to S$2,535 from Sept 1. For assistant retail supervisors, the baseline pay will rise from S$2,635 to S$2,790 from Sept 1, and will hit S$3,100 from Sept 1, 2027. To help businesses adjust to the higher labour costs, eligible employers will receive co-funding of up to 40 per cent of the salary increase in 2025, and 20 per cent in 2026. 'This will alleviate cost pressures, while enabling businesses to drive transformation efforts to enhance productivity and raise wages sustainably,' the Manpower Ministry said in a press release. Introduced in 2012, the PWM helps to uplift workers' wages through skills upgrading and productivity improvement. It has been implemented in sectors such as cleaning, security and landscape, as well as lift and escalator maintenance. More than 53,000 retail workers are now covered under the PWM. As at 2023, there were over 24,500 retail enterprises in Singapore employing about 142,000 workers. - The Straits Times/ANN
AsiaOne
4 days ago
- Business
- AsiaOne
More than 53,000 retail workers to see wage increase of at least $130 from Sept 1, Singapore News
Over 53,000 retail workers can expect an increase in wages effective Sept 1, the Tripartite Cluster for Retail (TCR) announced on Monday (Aug 11). The new set of progressive wage model (PWM) recommendations for the retail sector includes an increase of at least $130. The PWM was first introduced in 2022. From Sept 1, retail workers will earn at least the entry-level PWM wage of $2,305, up from the existing wage of $2,175. From 2025 to 2027, the baseline monthly gross wages will increase from $2,305 to $2,565. Retail workers can expect a year-on-year increase of up to $160 in the next three years. Under the PWM, employers must pay at least the PWM wage to eligible workers for their job level and meet the PWM training requirements for eligible workers, according to the Ministry of Manpower. The PWM recommendations involve a "two plus one year" schedule of wage increases approach, which translates to fixed annual wage increments between Sept 1, 2025 and Aug 31, 2028. Both full-time and part-time retail staff will receive these increments, amounting to $130 to $160 per year, from Sept 1, 2025 until Aug 31, 2028. The third-year wage adjustment is subject to review due to the uncertain economic outlook. The recommended PWM baseline gross wages for full-time resident retail workers, excluding overtime pay, will begin at the current gross wage and see a year-on-year increase of $130 per month. "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," TCR chair and National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling said. "In addition to raising wages for retail workers, the recommendations also help to build the foundation for a stronger and more future-ready retail workforce." A changing, challenging landscape The PWM recommendations are part of a "sustained national effort to uplift lower-wage workers" and ensure fair compensation for their skills and contribution, the statement said. They come amid a "challenging landscape" for the retail sector, where brick-and-mortar shops are experiencing shrinking footfall due to growing competition from e-commerce platforms and overseas retail alternatives. The upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link set for 2026 is also a cause for concern for local retail. Businesses also face rising operational costs, manpower shortages and evolving customer expectations, NTUC added. To tackle these changes, aside from increased PWM wages, the TCR has also recommended refining job roles and descriptions. These updates will incorporate expectations such as increased use of digital tools and technologies and a greater emphasis on customer service delivery, as well as a clearer distinction between supervisory roles. The TCR also recommends expanding the list of approved workforce skills qualification (WSQ) training modules across all job levels. Qualifications from institutes of higher learning such as polytechnics and ITEs will also be recognised as meeting PWM training requirements. A whole-of-society support effort is also needed to uplift lower-wage workers in the retail sector, according to TCR. Under their recommendations, employers are encouraged to invest in workforce training and productivity improvements, while consumers can play their part by supporting local retailers. [[nid:718461]] khooyihang@
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Lower-wage retail workers to receive up to 6% pay bump from Sept 1
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Ms Arfah Mohamad Nasir, 23, working on a flower bouquet at the Far East Flora Centre. Lower-wage resident retail workers can expect an annual salary bump from Sept 1. SINGAPORE - Lower-wage resident retail workers can expect an annual salary bump ranging from 5.1 per cent to 6 per cent over the next three years. Both full-time and part-time retail staff will receive these increments, amounting to $130 to $160 per year, from Sept 1, 2025 until August 31, 2028. The pay increase from Sept 1, 2027 is subject to review in 2026, as it may be adjusted upwards if the economic situation improves. The announcement was made by the Tripartite Cluster for Retail (TCR) industry on Aug 11, after the Government accepted its new recommendations on the Progressive Wage Model (PMW) for the retail sector. TCR introduced its first set of recommendations in 2022 , leading to an annual pay hike of 8.4 per cent to 8.5 per cent over three years for lower-wage retail staff who are Singaporeans and permanent residents. In a press release on Aug 11, the National Trades Union Congress said the TCR has taken a 'balanced and pragmatic approach' while proposing the new round of more modest wage hike, given the challenges facing employers in the retail sector. Many of them are grappling with rising operational costs, manpower shortage, growing competition from e-commerce platforms as well as overseas retail options, especially with the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link set to begin operations in early 2027 . Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Keppel to sell M1's telco business to Simba for $1.43b, says deal expected to benefit consumers Business Singtel, StarHub shares fall after announcement of Keppel's M1 sale Singapore ST Explains: Who owns Simba, the company that is buying M1? Singapore PM Wong's National Day Rally to begin at 6.45pm on Aug 17 Singapore Hyflux sought other funding sources for Tuaspring as it had problems getting bank loans: Prosecution Singapore S'pore Govt asks inactive political parties including Barisan Sosialis for proof of existence Opinion Trump's trade deals have one giant contradiction Under the new recommendations, entry-level retail workers will receive a monthly gross salary of at least $2,305 from Sept 1, up from the current $2,175. This excludes their overtime pay. Those who are more senior will see their baseline pay go up from $2,395 to $2,535 from Sept 1. For assistant retail supervisors, their baseline pay will rise from $2,635 to $2,790 from Sept 1, and will hit $3,100 from Sept 1, 2027. Part-time retail staff, or those working less than 35 hours a week, can also expect an increase of close to 6 per cent in their hourly gross pay from Sept 1. To help businesses adjust to higher labour costs, eligible employers will receive co-funding of up to 40 per cent of the salary increase in 2025, and 20 per cent in 2026. 'This will alleviate cost pressures, while enabling businesses to drive transformation efforts to enhance productivity and raise wages sustainably,' the Manpower Ministry said in a press release. Introduced in 2012, the PWM helps to uplift workers' wages through skills upgrading and productivity improvement. It has been implemented in sectors such as cleaning, security, landscape as well as lift and escalator maintenance. More than 53,000 retail workers are now covered under the PWM. As of 2023, there were over 24,500 retail enterprises in Singapore employing about 142,000 workers.
Business Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Singapore retail workers will get progressive wage model hike of at least S$130 from September
[SINGAPORE] A new set of progressive wage model (PWM) recommendations for the retail sector were announced by the Tripartite Cluster for Retail (TCR) industry on Monday (Aug 11). 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.
Russia Today
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Mobilization proceeding ‘normally'
Ukrainian Defense Minister Denis Shmigal has claimed that the country's mobilization process is proceeding 'absolutely normally' in 90% of cases. He dismissed media reports that focus on forced conscription, saying it only reflects a small fraction of the reality. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Kiev has enforced a general mobilization, requiring all able-bodied men ages 25 to 60 to serve in the armed forces. However, Ukrainian commanders have consistently reported manpower shortages. Ukraine's Territorial Centers of Recruitment and Social Support (TCR) have since conducted a mobilization campaign which has drawn widespread criticism for its violent enforcement tactics. Numerous videos posted on social media show TCR officers chasing men through the streets, dragging them into unmarked minibuses, and assaulting both recruits and bystanders – a practice now widely dubbed 'busification'. Shmigal defended the process in a BBC Ukraine interview published on Wednesday. 'People receiving summons come to serve. They are not grabbed, they are not dragged,' he said, claiming that 'scandalous' incidents involving beatings and coercive recruitment tactics account for just 5-10% of all cases. He added that media reports on these scandals are harmful to national security. He attributed the incidents of abuse to the 'human factor,' and maintained that without the TCR, 'we would have lost this war a long time ago.' Ukraine is believed to mobilize 17,000 to 30,000 men per month, according to TASS estimates based on statements from Ukrainian and Western sources. If Shmigal's 10% estimate is accurate, this would indicate up to 3,000 cases of forced conscription each month – an average of around 100 per day – suggesting the phenomenon is more widespread than previously reported. Last month, Ukrainian MP Yury Kamelchuk told local media that only 20-25% of recruitment targets are met through voluntary enlistment. 'The rest, unfortunately, the TCRs are ordered to provide,' he said. 'The quality of their work is abysmal, because they draft everyone.' Earlier this week, Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky signed a law allowing men over 60 to enter contract-based military service to address recruitment shortfalls.
