I refer to the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) Report on Wages in Singapore, 2011, released on 29 June.
Basic Wage vs Total Wage
In 2011, the real total wages rose by a mere 0.1%, while real basic wages declined by 0.8%. However, the MOM report, which uses a different method of calculation, tells a different story. They claim that real total wages have grown by 0.9%. They have, however, taken the employer CPF contributions as part of their computations.
In the past, median wage was computed without taking into account of employer CPF contributions. The measure of “real total wages” appears to be a fairly new development amidst a rising political dissent in Singapore.
In any case, a historical comparison using past benchmarks still means that median wages fell by 0.8% last year. Why then, is the ministry claiming otherwise? Full story
