Landscape maintenance employees can now look forward to better wages and a Progressive Wage Model (PWM) bonus.
The Tripartite Cluster for Landscape Industry (TCL) shared its recommendations on 30 November 2018 to revise the PWM for the landscape maintenance sub-sector.
The Government accepted the recommendations on the same day.
From 1 July 2020, all PWM basic wage levels will increase by $150. For example, this change will bring the PWM wage floor of landscape employees to $1,450, up from $1,300.
Their PWM basic wage level will have another increase of $100 in July 2021 and another $100 in July 2022.
From July 2023 to 2025, the PWM basic wage levels will increase by a minimum of 3 per cent each year, subject to review.
TCL said that it recommended the increase to take effect in 2020 to allow enough lead time for landscape companies and service buyers to incorporate wage adjustments.
“During this time, companies are encouraged to improve their current work processes and adopt technology-enabled solutions to raise productivity and achieve higher service outcomes,” said TCL.
The cluster also encouraged all landscape employees to continue upgrading their skills.
Adjustments to the PWM for the Landscape Maintenance Sub-sector:
| With effect from | July 2020 | July 2021 | July 2022 | July 2023 | July 2024 | July 2025 |
| Annual Increment to all PWM Basic Wage Level | + $150 | + $100 | + $100 | + minimum 3% p.a. (subject to review) | ||
PWM Bonus for Better Retention
As part of the recommendations, TCL put forward a mandatory two-week PWM bonus for Singapore citizen and permanent resident landscape maintenance employees who have worked for the same employer for at least 12 months.
In addition to boosting workers’ income, TCL hopes that the bonus will serve as a retention tool by motivating workers to stay with their employers longer.
At the same time, it hopes that this would give confidence to employers to invest in the training of their landscape employees.
TCL Chair Zainal Sapari, who also serves as NTUC Assistant Secretary-General, said: “The agreed implementation timeframe for the new recommendations follows in-depth discussions with key industry stakeholders, to allow them sufficient lead time to adjust. From now till 2020, TCL strongly encourages landscape companies and their service buyers to work closely together to review their current manpower needs and job processes holistically.
“This includes looking at how technology can be used to achieve higher productivity and better service outcomes, as well as how workers can be trained to perform higher value-added jobs. Together, in addition to helping the companies be more manpower-lean, these will support our efforts to help our landscape employees have better wages, welfare and work prospects.”