Security guards in Singapore can look forward to a possible increase of at least $300 in basic monthly pay from as early as October. That is when a committee of government officials, union leaders and security firms is expected to draw up a wage ladder for guards after completing a review of salaries and working conditions in the sector. There are about 70,000 licensed security guards in Singapore. But the low basic pay and long hours have kept about 30,000 of them away from work, adding to the manpower crunch in the sector. Once the wage ladder is ready, the Government will make it a compulsory part of licensing conditions for security companies, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) assistant secretary-general Zainal Sapari told a union event. He warned security firms: “If you do not pay your security officers salary based on the progressive wage model, then your licence won’t be renewed.”
Mr Zainal, who is also a member of the NTUC-led committee and an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, declined to give details of the wage ladder, saying: “It is still not finalised.” But he confirmed that the committee is looking at raising the basic monthly pay of guards from $800 to $1,100.
