7 June 2013
Editor
Forum Page
Straits Times
I am encouraged by the lead taken by the Government to give an
increase of $70 a month for low wage workers employed in the
public sector.
I suggest that they should reverse the practice of outsourcing
such as cleaning and security, and employ the workers directly
in the public sector. They pay, terms of employment and practices
in the public sector can set a benchmark for similar jobs in the
private sector.
If the public sector have to outsource some jobs due to
difficulty in managing the workers, they should insist that the
pay and working conditions meet the same standards that are
provided in the public sector.
It is important to adopt a more holistic approach to
raise the pay of low wage workers and reduce the income
gap in Singapore.