Salaries of 75% respondents remained stagnant following pandemic

A survey shows that the income of nearly 75% of respondents has remained the same since 2019, not receiving any salary rise during the pandemic amid the economic downturn.

Commissioned by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM) to determine the working status of employees in various industries from January to December this year, the survey has  received 3,115 validly completed questionnaires.

The survey has also shown that 20% of respondents have had their salaries cut while the city endured some of the world’s strictest anti-virus controls for nearly three years, which made the tourism-driven economy plunge.

Lawmaker and vice-chairman of the FAOM Leong Sun Iok said in a press conference that many employees hope to improve their employment level by changing jobs, while many have also called on the government to improve vocational training systems in the city.

Iok has also called local firms to “appropriately increase employee salaries.”

Earlier this year, a survey by the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) found that employees in the city are increasingly confident in the job market, but less satisfied with their current roles.

The poll uncovered an 11.87% increase in the confidence index concerning Macau’s job market, despite it being 2.5% down compared to 2019. However, overall satisfaction with work declined by 2.6% compared to 2019, largely due to a drop in work quality and job stability.

The three satisfaction indicators with the largest increase are the impact of work on health (20.34%); salary (17.69%); and other benefits (15.96%). 

Meanwhile, the FAOM survey also shows that more than 40% of respondents believe that the illegal labor problem in Macau is serious. 

Therefore, the FAOM proposes four suggestions, covering training systems, labor rights, foreign employment policies, and employment of middle-aged and elderly people.