Gov’t intends to introduce minimum wage by 2018

The government intends to introduce a universal minimum wage for all workers, following its initial introduction for cleaning and security personnel working in property management companies.
“We intend to implement the minimum wage for those two sectors this year. But our stand on this is implementing a minimum wage for all workers within three years,” the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, revealed yesterday on the sidelines of a Standing Committee for Coordination of Social Affairs meeting.
In July 2014, after two days of discussion, the Legislative Assembly (AL) plenary passed the first reading of the minimum wage law. Since then, the Third Standing Committee has been examining the details of the legislation.
Yesterday, Lionel Leong said that employers and employees agree on the general principle of introducing a minimum wage for all sectors. However, nothing has been decided regarding the wage amount and its related regulations.
“We are going to meet with workers and employers to see how we can implement that, [whether] gradually or immediately,” Leong said, adding that the government is looking into the matter.
The Standing Committee for Coordination of Social Affairs also discussed increases for elderly and invalidity pensions. Both pensions will be raised from MOP3,180 to MOP3,350 starting next July.