Government accepts and Commissioner for Labour implements updated recommendations for Conservancy Truck Drivers (Class 4/5) by The Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners

The Government has accepted the recommendations in the addendum to the Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners (TCC)^[1] report on Conservancy Truck Drivers (Class 4/5) under the Cleaning Progressive Wage Model (PWM). From 1 July, the Commissioner for Labour will implement the recommendations, comprising (i) a six-year schedule of sustained wage increases from 1 July 2023 to 30 July 2029 and (ii) an updated definition of Truck Drivers (Class 4/5) under the Cleaning PWM Conservancy sub-sector.

Implementation of six-year schedule of annual wage increases and updated definition of Conservancy Truck Drivers (Class 4/5) 

2 The Cleaning PWM is an existing condition under the National Environment Agency’s licensing regime for general cleaning businesses, implemented through the Order imposed by the Commissioner for Labour. Updates made to the Order include:

1. A six-year schedule of wage increases from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2029 will be implemented for Conservancy Truck Drivers (Class 4/5) when the existing wage schedule concludes on 30 June 2023. The wages ^[2] will follow the job role of “Driver” under the Waste Management PWM, as both types of drivers are required to possess a Class 4/5 driving licence and drive heavy vehicles of more than 2,500kg in unladen weight. The scheduled sustained wage increases reflect a strong tripartite consensus to raise the wages of Conservancy Truck Drivers (Class 4/5) while providing service providers and buyers with greater certainty in business and contracting matters. The updated wage schedule is in Annex A.
2. An updated definition of Conservancy Truck Drivers (Class 4/5) to include only drivers in cleaning services. Cleaning businesses will have to ensure that Conservancy Truck Drivers (Class 4/5) are paid at least the corresponding wage in the PWM wage schedule. The updated definition is in Annex B.

3 Cleaning businesses that seek to be licensed must ensure that their submitted progressive wage plans for their resident cleaners follow the TCC’s latest PWM guidelines. Licensed cleaning businesses must also pay their resident cleaners according to their progressive wage plans, and issue payslips to their resident cleaners containing details of the resident cleaners’ basic wage and other payments received.

4 Licensed cleaning businesses found to be in breach of licensing conditions are liable to a financial penalty not exceeding $5,000 and may risk having their Cleaning Business Licence suspended or revoked.

5 Please refer to the Addendum to the TCC 2023 Report for more information at www.ntuc.org.sg/tripartiteguidelines. Cleaners with enquiries may call NTUC’s U Care Centre at 1800-255-2828 for more information.