Pay of low-wage health-care staff up by 10 per cent

SINGAPORE - Low-wage health-care workers have received a 10 per cent salary boost in the past year, it was announced on Monday.

The increase is due to a progressive wage model introduced by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). About 2,500 support staff on less than $2,000 a month have had a raise.

The figures were announced by Nee Soon GRC MP Patrick Tay. "Health-care staff are full of loving kindness and compassion, but we also want them to be competitively compensated," he said at the Healthcare Cluster National Day Observance Ceremony at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Mr Tay, who leads the NTUC Healthcare Cluster, added that he was exploring ways to improve productivity in the sector.

The progressive wage model, launched last year, sets out a career ladder for workers. It aims to raise salaries by upgrading skills and restructuring jobs. There are 2,700 support staff in public hospitals and polyclinics.

Madam Malarvele Periasamy, 43, went from patient service associate supervisor to patient service executive and now leads a team at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

"I was given the opportunity to go for a leadership course and it has benefited my career," she said.

limyihan@sph.com.sg

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