STAYING COMPETITIVE

'Pushing up wages to keep pace with high inflation would not be sustainable and would have an adverse impact on Singapore's competitiveness, especially in the light of the economic uncertainty. The Government strongly supports the recommendation of granting sustainable built-in wage increases and making greater use of variable payments to reward workers.'
THE GOVERNMENT, which accepted the recommendations

HELPING THE NEEDY

'The Government has measures (to)... help Singaporeans deal with the higher inflation. The labour movement is doing its part... to help lower-wage union members and their families defray higher costs of living. Employers can play a part.

'NTUC strongly supports NWC's call on companies to implement a dollar quantum in the built-in wage increase for lower-wage workers.'
NTUC DEPUTY SECRETARY- GENERAL HENG CHEE HOW

DON'T PASS COSTS ON

'The federations warn against indexing wage increases to inflation as this will pass the costs entirely to employers and undermine... wage cost competitiveness. The federations encourage companies to...help workers through lump-sum payment so as not to raise built-in wage costs in response to higher inflation.'

THE SINGAPORE BUSINESS FEDERATION AND SINGAPORE NATIONAL EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION

SAME REFRAIN

'Why is it that most of the things recommended by the NWC have been mentioned before? It's because not every company has come on board...on the monthly variable component. You find that a common message will always be echoed.'
HEALTHCARE SERVICES EMPLOYEES' UNION GENERAL SECRETARY DIANA CHIA, on the NWC's recommendations

PRUDENCE NEEDED

'Singapore's wage increases have outstripped productivity growth for the second consecutive year. Given the prevailing global economic uncertainty, companies need to be prudent in granting built-in wage increases.'
SINGAPORE CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

SHOWING GOODWILL

'If your company is doing well, if you're making money, then it's good to give something to your workers. It shows the company is prepared to do something to help its workers. The current period of inflation is a very serious one.'
ASSOCIATION OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZE ENTERPRISES PRESIDENT LAWRENCE LEOW, on the one-off bonus