Bosses okay higher pay but not built-in raise

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http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_802929.html

Bosses are willing to raise wages of low-income workers to stay competitive in the tight labour market but maintain that built-in pay increases may be too costly a burden.

They believe the National Wages Council's (NWC) call for mandatory pay rises will lock them into untenable commitments.

Mr Kenneth Loo, general manager of Straits Construction, said: 'When we tender for a job today, it's for something that's in two years. We don't know what changes will come so it's pretty risky for us.'

He said that while he was willing to raise wages, part of the increment was likely to go to a variable component and the allocation would have to be determined after considering the full impact.