Employment & labour — Topics

10 Sep 2012

Contract Variation to Allow for Immediate Wage Increase for Cleaners Hired to Work at Government Agencies

Zainal Sapari asked the government to direct ministries and statutory boards to vary their cleaning and security contracts to grant at least a $50 salary increase for workers earning below $1,000 monthly, as recommended by the National Wages Council.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam explained that the government does not typically dictate wages in contractor agreements, and that contract variations must be mutually agreed upon, which can be complex and may be seen as unfair to unsuccessful tenderers.
He noted that the government will require public sector tenders from next year to engage only accredited cleaning and well-graded security companies, which are expected to maintain better standards and offer progressive wages.
The government is also working with tripartite partners to enhance accreditation and grading schemes to improve standards, skills, and wages for workers in these sectors.
For existing contracts, the government is collaborating with NTUC to encourage contractors to adopt the National Wages Council’s recommendations to reward workers for productivity gains.

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10 Sep 2012

Arthur Fong asked the Acting Minister for Manpower about the causes of the concrete roof collapse at the Downtown Line Bugis station worksite, whether safety measures were breached, and if workers, including two deceased foreign workers, were working beyond prescribed hours or if their employer violated employment regulations.
The Acting Minister confirmed the accident resulted in two deaths and eight minor injuries, with preliminary investigations focusing on formwork design, material quality, compliance with approved plans, and possible fatigue from extended working hours; the Ministry ordered a stop-work order, which was lifted after a safety review and recovery plan submission.
The Minister noted that investigations will continue, with enforcement actions taken if breaches are found, and acknowledged the complex rescue operation by SCDF's DART officers, including chemical burns, with after-action reviews planned to improve future responses.
Alex Yam raised concerns about potential non-compliance with formwork weight requirements and the placement of workers under scaffolding, prompting the Minister to state that if violations are found, actions will be taken and the investigation outcomes will guide any necessary regulatory adjustments.

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