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SINGAPORE : Low-wage workers may demand higher pay increases if companies do not help them cope with rising costs.
Labour Chief Lim Swee Say said this a day after the National Wages Council (NWC) recommended that firms pay their rank-and-file workers a special one-off lump sum to help them cope with inflation.
NWC did not specify how much should be given, but said the lower the wages, the higher the sum should be.
Mr Lim said companies should show concern for rank-and-file employees especially, during tough times and rising inflation.
So he hopes firms will not just give a small token sum and pass it off as fulfilling the NWC's proposal.
But he declined to pinpoint the amount that should be given.
He said, "Firstly, it depends on what's the percentage of the low-wage workers within the company, because some companies, they have a higher percentage of low-wage workers, some companies have a lower percentage of low-wage workers.
"For companies with more low-wage workers, obviously they have to share that one-off payment to a bigger number of workers. So the dollar per worker on the whole may be on the lower side. Whereas for organisations where there is smaller percentage of low-wage workers, maybe then they can do more.
"I think on the whole, a lot depends on the performance of the company, the affordability of companies. More importantly, it depends on how much the employers actually sympathise and emphasise with their low-wage workers."
Mr Lim was speaking to reporters on Saturday at the U Festival, a two-day event, which is part of the May Day celebrations.
The festival, held at Civic Plaza, Ngee Ann City, saw some 50,000 visitors. - CNA/ms
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