All Singapore Stuff – Real Singapore News From Tuas to Changi, All Singapore Stuff brings you Real Singapore News!
Depressed Wages for Administrative Staff
My friend often complains to me of her low monthly salary of $1600.00 despite having a wealth of experience working as an administrative staff for the past twenty years. Despite receiving good work review and two decades of work experience, with a GCE’O’ levels certificate, she could only earn $1600.00 now at a kindergarten as an adminstrative staff.
She lamented that staff in the service like teachers received monthly increment of $400.00 and service staff like cleaners and cook are treated better than her as many Singaporeans prefer to work in adminstrative work and not many like the service jobs. Thus, she felt really frustrated as she needed to help with additional works especially if the cleaner report sick for work. There is no overtime pay if she need to work overtime yet still cover for others when her colleague is not around.
She feel unappreciated and unhappy that she is earning low salary despite working from 8am to 6pm despite her experience and wish for early retirement. She shared that her brother who turned 55 years old recently only received $10,000.00 from his CPF saving after working for more than 30 years. She got agitated and angry when she realize she can’t withdraw money from her CPF after working for so many years as her CPF don’t meet the minimum sum. She felt the government should not withhold her hard earned saving from her. She felt she should at least be allowed to withdraw $30,000.00 of her CPF saving as no one can guarantee that everyone get to live to a ripe old age.
Indeed for many low income workers who are working in negative environment where they are not treated fairly or they have to work in manual jobs that involve strength in carrying heavy loads, they can’t wait for retirement at 55 years old. Instead of holding on to the CPF saving especially when many low income workers cannot meet the CPF minimum sum, allow them to withdraw 30% of CPF saving at 55 years old. Allow them to withdraw another 30% of CPF saving at 60 years old and 40% at 65 years old. At least they don’t feel the intense grievance against the government for keeping their hard earned saving from them.
Yes, my friend received the low income worker card which allows her to save on transport cost yet she feel instead of making them feel dependent on the government, she should get her own saving which belong to her years of working.
