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ok ... going to order chai peng ... peng only ... no vege no egg .... is $5K still the new poor ... should be $6K liao now ...

Analyst predicts 4.4% average pay increase. http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/guess-sector-home-biggest-pay-062900022.html I predict my pay 0% increase this year end. How about you guys?

Hearing some comments here about minimum wage (MW) and Hong Kong has just approved the bill for MW. Coming from business angle, MW increase operating cost, reduce competitiveness and it does not necessary increase productivity. From employee angle, MW guarantee you are paid market rate (really?) Who should benefit from MW, local or all works (even FW)? Will it be abused? by both employer and employee? Will it drive companies out result in more jobless? Lets discuss!

http://www.wsj.com/articles/another-minimum-wage-backfire-1439249236 This article is a good explanation of why setting minimum wage is no good for lower income people. Many people think setting minimum wage does benefit do good for lower income people as they will earn more which in turn will be less stressed out in their financial expenses. However they overlooked on the fact that by setting minimum wage, it actually backfire as explained in the above article. Many Singaporeans had been voicing out for government to set minimum wage just like other country but our government stay firm and say "No, we cannot do that" this I feel government is doing the right thing for lower income people. However one thing that the government lack of is clear explanation to convince why setting minimum wage is no good. I post this article to educate people that setting minimum wage do more harm than good, and hope people can see the good intention of government to stay firm to say no to minimum wage.

Is it not tantamount to having a minimum wage policy in this case? Frankly how much can $50 last for these low-wage workers? Enough to maybe ease their daily transport burden slightly or maybe add an additional veg portion for their lunch? BTW before these workers jump for joy, it is only a "recommendation" only & not compulsory on the part of their employers hor. Just glad that at least they acknowledge part of Pro Lim's earlier wage proposal which has some bearing on their recommendations. From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1203113/1/.html Give low-wage workers pay rise of at least $50: NWC By Saifulbahri Ismail/Tan Qiuyi | Posted: 23 May 2012 1802 hrs

Some how I suspect Prof Lim's shock-wage theory has a part to play in all these hasty follow-ups... Anyway glad these cleaners are finally getting attention from the so-called labour movement but unless it is law employers may not accept the "recommendation". And hope they keep to their word of looking into the low pay situation of other low-wage workers in other industries. From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1209015/1/.html NTUC sets wage targets for cleaners By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 21 June 2012 1443 hrs

The Straits Times The Straits Times Published on Apr 28, 2012 Printed from straitstimes.com Wages must rise faster with higher living costs: Minister Slow down income gap growth: Swee Say By Janice Heng The higher cost of living means that wages must go up faster, said labour chief Lim Swee Say on Friday. The widening of the income gap must also be slowed down, added the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general in a message ahead of the labour movement's celebrations on May Day on Tuesday. Inflation hit a high of 5.2 per cent last month, after staying at more than 4 per cent in the first two months of the year. In his message, Mr Lim also set out the challenges - old and new - which Singapore faces. Copyright

I thought his right hand man Tharman PROMISED 30% increase over 10 years during GE2011? Now, PM lowered expectations by one third to 20% increase over 10 years?

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower is raising the salary thresholds of two groups of workers -- local full-time and skilled foreign workers -- from July this year. And with foreign worker levies increasing again, it is timely for companies such as Lerk Thai to innovate. Since December, machines have been doing the cooking at Lerk Thai's outlet in Bedok Point. In one corner, a machine works the boiler, while another handles the wok The restaurant said the food tastes the same, but the cooking is done much quicker, while manpower costs are down by 20 to 30 per cent. Sales have also been increased by between 20 and 30 per cent since the changes were introduced. Lerk Thai is one of the restaurants managed by Select Group. The company's executive director Jack Tan said: "With the whole process in place, the chef can multi-task, instead of just standing in front of the wok to look after the wok." Lerk Thai is now looking into introducing automation for future outlets. Currently, the number of foreign workers a company can employ depends on the number of full-time local staff on its payroll. To prevent companies from paying locals "token salaries" to gain access to foreign workers, from July, their benchmark salary will be raised from S$650 to S$850. This is also in line with rising wages. Minimum salaries for skilled foreigners are also going up. The S-Pass levy will also be raised, by between S$190 and S$300. Minister for Manpower Gan Kim Yong said this is because the S-Pass stock has "more than doubled" since 2007, which is "clearly not sustainable". For S-Pass holders, this will be set at S$2,000, up from the current S$1,800, while the three categories of Employment Pass holders will be S$2,800, S$4,000 and S$8,000. The salary threshold for Q1 passes will be raised from S$2,500 to S$2,800; that of P2 passes will go up from S$3,500 to S$4,000 and for P1 passes, the new threshold will be S$8,000, up from the current S$7,000. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1115310/1/.html hmmmm, isn't this as good as setting min. salary for foreign workers? And they say it will not work and do not wish to do it for local workers???

Hong Kong workers demand minimum wage law Posted: 14 July 2010 1740 hrs Photos 1 of 1 Protestors demanding a minimum wage demonstrate outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong HONG KONG : Hundreds of workers in Hong Kong called for a minimum wage law Wednesday as lawmakers debated the controversial issue which has long divided the city's business sector and grassroots labour groups. The protesters, many of whom are paid as little as two or three US dollars an hour, said Hong Kong's policymakers and business sector have sacrificed them in the name of competitiveness and preserving the city's free economy. "We are workers! We are not slaves!" a group of Filipino and Indonesian domestic workers chanted outside Hong Kong's legislature building as lawmakers began the debate on the minimum wage bill. "Ironically, Hong Kong is now discussing the road to democracy. But how can there be democracy if workers' interests continue to be attacked by the big businesses?" said Eni Lestari, of the Asian Migrants' Coordinating Body. Labour rights groups have pushed for the minimum wage to be fixed at 33 Hong Kong dollars (4.2 US dollars) an hour, saying anything less would not cover basic expenses with living costs having risen sharply in recent months. But the proposal faced strong opposition from some of Hong Kong's largest employers. Michael Chan, chairman of giant fast-food chain Cafe de Coral -- who was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 35th richest man in Hong Kong in 2009 -- has said his group might issue a profit warning if the proposed hourly rate became law. Chan's comments have intensified anger among the unions, which have demanded that he quit the Provisional Minimum Wage Commission, a government-appointed body tasked to set the minimum wage once the bill is passed. Peter Tsoi, a security guard who works more than 12 hours a day, said he had to apply for welfare because he was only paid three US dollars an hour. "All of my salary is spent on transportation and food," Tsoi told AFP. "It is easy to understand why Hong Kong has one of the world's widest income gaps between the rich and the poor -- the tycoons will only get richer because they are making us work harder and for longer hours while our wages remain unchanged." A survey released this week showed that supermarket giants Park'n Shop and Wellcome, as well convenience stores Circle K and 7-Eleven, paid their workers an average rate of less than three US dollars an hour. - AFP/vm

This is good excuse for our bosses huh? SINGAPORE: Economic watchers are expecting the National Wages Council (NWC) to address the issue of salary cuts to brace for the current difficult economic times. ADVERTISEMENT Channel NewsAsia understands from employer and union representatives that the council, which was reconvened recently, met again on Wednesday. Its revised guidelines are expected next week. The last time the NWC recommended a wage cut to save jobs was in 2003 during the SARS period. In 2003, the NWC proposed that in view of the severe impact of SARS on the economy, companies directly affected by the outbreak implement appropriate wage cuts to survive the downturn and to save jobs. Economic watchers said the time has come for the NWC to revisit this need for companies to survive and save jobs. Dr Tim Phillippi, executive director, Singaporean

In addition to "Sgp jobless rate rises" thread... http://www.mycarforum.com/forum/Others_C20...rises_P2529008/ ...our monies are now worth less than what they, were as recent as last year!!... Huh, double whammy [/color] A long read but a good revelation. Those changing job, apart from the usual pay rise quantum, do factor in 4% in your new pay packet... Wages eroded by inflation: MOM Govt data shows average real earnings shrinking 4% due to high inflation By Sue-Ann Chia Though wages grew 3.1 per cent in nominal terms between April and June, the impact of soaring food and fuel prices ? with inflation hitting a 26-year-high of 7.5 per cent in June ? meant that workers were actually worse off compared to a year ago. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN View more photos LATEST government wage figures confirm a trend that was evident a few months ago - high inflation eating into wage gains. The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) report on employment in the second quarter showed that workers across the board were worse off compared to a year ago, with real earnings - pay minus the effect of inflation - actually falling. Wages grew 3.1 per cent in nominal terms between April and June. But the impact of soaring food and fuel prices - with inflation hitting a 26-year-high of 7.5 per cent in June - eroded such gains. Workers, in effect, ended up seeing their real wages shrink by 4 per cent on average, compared to the same period last year. The services sector was hardest hit, with workers' real earnings falling the most, by 4.6 per cent. The dip was 2.3 per cent for those in manufacturing and 0.5 per cent for construction workers. Inflation's squeeze on income first surfaced in the January to March period. But it was not so dismal then. Wage growth was still in positive territory, propped up by a 10.6 per cent increase in total wages over the same quarter a year ago, the highest in almost a decade. Then, only manufacturing workers saw their real wages shrink due to inflation. But the malaise has now spread to other sectors owing to weaker wage increases in the second quarter. Analysts are not optimistic that the real wage situation will improve even though inflation is expected to lessen towards the end of this year. That is because they expect wage increases to continue to lag behind inflation. One reason for this, said DBS Bank economist Irvin Seah, is the economy's anaemic state. The labour market is expected to soften, with more bosses halting hiring plans or scaling down wage increases. 'It is quite likely that real wages will remain in the negative territory till the end of the year. Even if it bounces back, it will be very weak growth,' he said. His conclusion was borne out by a recent survey of 218 employers by the Singapore Human Resource Institute (SHRI) and Remuneration Data Specialists. It found that wage increases will hover around 5.3 per cent this year, higher than last year's 4.5 per cent. But this is below the annual inflation forecast of 5 to 6 per cent. But SHRI executive director David Ang pointed out that companies were doing their part to help workers cope. Almost half of those it polled are giving workers a one-off payment to offset the higher cost of living. Another key finding from yesterday's MOM report: Labour productivity declined for the third straight quarter. The contraction, at 7.5 per cent, was steep compared to 2.7 per cent in the first quarter this year, and 3.7 per cent in the October to December period of last year. MOM attributed the poor productivity to many new jobs being created as employers hire in anticipation of the need for more workers to cope with new projects. A total of 71,400 jobs were added in the second quarter, on the back of record gains in the construction industry due to the building boom, the report said. Job creation in the first half of the year hit a record 144,600, compared to 113,800 in the same period last year. Retrenchment also eased to 1,798 after rising for two consecutive quarters. Among laid-off workers, 78.7 per cent got re-employed within six months of being retrenched. This is higher than the 66.5 per cent in the previous quarter, and the 70 per cent in the same period last year. But analysts like Standard Chartered Bank economist Alvin Liew are not so sanguine about job prospects in the second half of the year. '2008 is going to be weaker than last year, as growth is going to be bleaker,' he said. http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNew...ory_279061.html

July 28, 2008 No suggestion that pay hikes will harm economy MS HONG Wai Leng ('Small pay rises won't stoke inflation', July 16) had the misimpression that Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said any wage increase could contribute to inflation in Singapore, in his speech to the Singapore Industrial and Service Employees Union Delegates Conference Dinner on July 9. Mr Tharman had not suggested that wage increases in general would contribute to inflation or would harm the economy. A sustained increase in wages is, in fact, the objective of economic growth. What he cautioned against was wages rising faster than productivity in order to keep pace with local inflation. If wages grow faster than the underlying trends in productivity, employers would have to pass on the higher costs to consumers. This would lead to a second round of inflation, beyond the first round we have seen because of higher import prices of oil and food. It would also reduce the competitiveness of our exports and employers' ability to create jobs. In both cases, workers will ultimately be worse off. However, Mr Tharman highlighted another important reason why wage increases do not have to fully compensate for inflation this year. The Government is providing substantial assistance directly to citizens that will offset the increase in cost of living for most Singaporeans caused by this year's higher inflation. On top of this, the National Wages Council has asked employers to provide one-off lump-sum payments to help workers through these difficult times. The benefits most low-income households receive from the Government this year, in the form of GST Credits, Growth Dividends and rebates on utility and service & conservancy charge bills, will exceed by many times the increase in household costs caused by inflation. Many will also receive the Workfare Income Supplement and other benefits in their CPF accounts. For example, a low-income household comprising a middle-aged worker and two elderly parents will receive a total of $5,000 this year, well above the increase in cost of living. A typical middle-income household living in a four- or five-room HDB flat will also receive benefits that at least match extra expenditure due to higher inflation. Chin Sau Ho Director (Corporate Communications & Services) Ministry of Finance http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Sto...ory_261928.html ----------- backpedalled after pelted all vulgarities by netizens no doubt. too bad this type of damage control is needed.