Singapore Raises Pay for 1,800 Pest Control Workers

Singapore’s tripartite partners announced that approximately 1,800 pest management workers will receive sustainable pay increases through the Progressive Wage Model. The model links wage growth to skills development and productivity gains for full-time and part-time employees, including licensed vector control technicians who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents.

Pest management joins nine other sectors already covered by the model, which began in 2014 and aims to uplift a total of 150,000 lower-wage workers. A new tripartite cluster, chaired by Dr Wan Rizal of NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute and co-chaired by Mr Kung Teong Wah, will develop the specific implementation details for the pest management sector.

The cluster anticipates needing at least two years to establish the model, including gaining stakeholder buy-in and addressing industry-specific challenges like cost pressures and the integration of technologies such as drones and sensors. The move recognizes the vital role pest control workers play in public health and disease mitigation.