Living Wage For US Inc’s Post

Closing the Gap: From Minimum Wage to Living Wage in Malaysia 🔍This week’s ASLI Insights: tl;dr delves into the recent “Living on the Edge” report by UNICEF and UNFPA. It highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Malaysians post-COVID-19 and sheds light on the insufficiency of the current minimum wage. The report also finds that Malaysians prefer higher wages over other policies to alleviate their burdens. 📝The Malaysian government also responded to the report, with a commitment to review the suggestions comprehensively. The government will also be conducting a pilot progressive wage programme with various stakeholder involvement. Additionally, there was a recent 13% pay hike for civil servants announced by the prime minister, who urged the private sector to join in the spirit of wage increase. 💬 What’s your take? Share your thoughts below! 🌱 Empowering Leaders, Advancing Societies. Stay connected for more insights: https://lnkd.in/g6fyRgPC #ASLI #EmpoweringLeaders #AdvancingSocieties #LivingWage #UNICEF #UNFPA #Malaysia #SupportFamilies #ProgressiveWagePolicy #PMX

Between cash handouts and min. living wages, which do people usually prefer? ASLI Insights: TL;DR this week takes a look at a recent report by the UN this issue and links it back to recent Gov announcements on the 13% wage increase for civil servants and the call for private sector to adopt progressive wage policies.

EPRA warns against fall-out of wage policy The Economic Policy Research Association (EPRA) has urged the Wage Commission to fully assess all the factors dependable variables that contribute and detract from a “decent standard of living for all” in Namibia. In a presentation to the Wages Commission, EPRA said minimum wage policies can be “low hanging fruit for politicians and populists aiming to obtain favour from voters quickly”.  “The latter is more likely to be applicable when the economy in a country is under extreme pressure, and a ruling party has lost considerable political support during a recent election,” think tank added. According to EPRA, the policy proposals the Wage Commission is now tasked to make may very well, as an unintended consequence, hurt Namibia’s economy.  “In particular, such proposals may cause further job-losses and further deteriorate disposable household income, hurting the poor the most and causing them to lose hope for a better future,” the association said. In a survey conducted by EPRA in 2020, 92.4% of businesses were of the opinion that government does not understand what is required to grow the private sector. Nearly 84% believe that it is not an honest objective of government to create a conducive environment for private sector growth.  “An ailing economy with extremely high unemployment levels, such as Namibia, will most likely be hard-hit by a minimum wage set above any level dictated by market forces at the time,” EPRA. A minimum wage policy should be based on sound economic principles, the body stressed.  #namibia #minimumwage #wages #policy #labour #employment

On BBC News this morning 6.30am Singapore. Speaking on the impact of wake hikes for plantation tea workers on Sri Lanka's crisis recovery with the wonderful BBC's Steve Lai. My messages: (1) the wage hikes are linked to Sri Lanka's election cycle in late 2024. (2) If implemented, the living standards of a poor group will improve but may pose risks like a wage-price spiral and eroding tea competitiveness. (3) Sri Lanka needs a strategy for the tea industry to improve wages linked to productivity. #ceylontea #wagehikes #srilankadebt #IMF #presidentalelections2024

On 17 June 2024, EuroCham Myanmar, in collaboration with the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business, hosted a webinar, HHRDD Series: "What is a Decent Wage in Myanmar, and How to Get There?" This series is part of an ongoing collaboration between EuroCham Myanmar and MCRB to support member companies implementing heightened due diligence in Myanmar. This webinar, supported by the MADE in Myanmar program, delved deep into the concept of a living wage, a term the ILO defines as the wage necessary for workers and their families to maintain a decent standard of living based on local conditions and regular work hours. Grace Camara from Global Rights Compliance highlighted three main practices for international brands to address living wage issues in line with International Labour Organization recommendations: 💡 Utilizing evidence-based approaches for estimating living wages 💡 Bolstering collective bargaining and social dialogue 💡 Implementing living wage policies that balance worker needs and economic factors She emphasized the importance of companies having clear strategies to ensure the implementation of decent wages in their supply chain to comply with legal requirements under the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and EU Forced Labor Regulation. Recent data from the WageIndicator Foundation Living Wage Initiative, presented during the event, revealed that, as of April 2024, the living wage estimate in Myanmar is 639,343 MMK per month, approximately 3.7 times the national minimum wage. Per preliminary MADE data shared with the participants, despite a nominal increase in garment workers' wages, real purchasing power has declined due to currency depreciation. International brands are critical players in the garment industry. They can use their leverage to influence wage standards through their purchasing practices, avoid excessive price pressure, and maintain long-term supplier relationships. Stakeholder collaboration and, most importantly, involvement of right holders - trade unions and worker representatives, is critical to this process. The upcoming MADE Stakeholder meeting on August 22 will further explore strategies for achieving decent wages. Invitations for this meeting will be sent to MADE members soon. #EuroChamMyanmar #HHRDD

The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) is discussing a proposed minimum wage increase to 400 baht for all workers in Thailand. Vice-President Poj Aramwattananont from the TCC expressed concerns about potential challenges for businesses and suggested a gradual implementation in certain industries to avoid negative impacts, especially in provinces like Phrae and Nan. Discover how this could affect the local economy: https://bit.ly/3yiOtpt #ThaiChamberOfCommerce #ThaiEconomy

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐖𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚 𝐛𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 The tripartite Wage Committee has recently endorsed a new methodology for determining minimum wages, slated for potential implementation starting in April across Bangkok and nine additional provinces. This revised formula takes into account various factors such as labor productivity, contribution to production, inflation rates, time elapsed since the last adjustment, and the economic conditions specific to each region. Despite this progress, Pairoj Chotikasathien, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labor, has refrained from confirming whether the minimum wage increase for April will reach the proposed 400 baht per day. Initially, the rollout of the new minimum wage will cover ten designated areas, encompassing Bangkok, Phuket, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Surat Thani, Krabi, Songkhla, Phang-nga, Prachuap Khiri Khan, and Rayong. Interested parties are encouraged to submit proposals by March 24th for consideration and potential enforcement in April. https://lnkd.in/gKpK8yRw #MinimumWage #WageCommittee #Bangkok #Thailand #EconomicDevelopment #LaborProductivity #InflationRates #RegionalEconomy #PolicyUpdate #Employment #EconomicGrowth #Productivity #ThaiLaborMarket #MinimumWageFormula #WageIncrease #WagePolicy #WorkforceDevelopment #ThaiEconomy #RegionalDevelopment #EmploymentOpportunities #LaborMarketTrends #PolicyReform #mahanakornpartnersgroup #mahanakornpartners #MPG

The IBON Foundation reports that the Philippine Family Living Wage in NCR is PHP25,928/month as of April 2024. But of course, many will feel that this amount is hardly enough. The actual government-mandated minimum wage comes to about a third of this estimation, which is even more troubling. A lot of the books that I've been reading about compensation and motivation all speak to salaries needing to be sufficient to address the employee's needs to a satisfactory degree so they can focus on creating great work. But it's hard to figure out where to draw that line while still ensuring the company can maintain those salaries without operating expenses going crazy. So how are you tackling the question of how to determine a fair living wage for your teams? Or does the market rate continue to dictate how your companies respond to shifting demands and requirements? #PeopleStrategies #LivingWage Link:

STORM IN THE TEA POT! Since securing independence in 1948, Sri Lanka’s political leaders have shamelessly traded the long term sustainable prosperity of the nation for petty electoral gains. Sri Lanka’s economy is still struggling with most export oriented industries affected by domestic cost increases on the back of steep inflation and revenue pressures due to a stronger LKR. Against this backdrop, the government strikes a populist stroke in mandating a compulsory 70% wage hike for tea plantation workers as elections approach. This move undermines productivity based compensation schemes put in place by private sector plantation management companies. Tea plantation workers numbering around 200,000 dominate segments of the electorate in the Central Hills. What is significant is that the so called Pro-biz, Good governance champion has turned into a political hit man! Desperate times call for desperate measures indeed! https://lnkd.in/dpWqav6S https://lnkd.in/d296vtUP https://lnkd.in/dyUxaepG #srilanka #ceylontea #populism

In light of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent announcement on Khazanah Nasional's minimum wage at RM3,000 and his aspiration for the private sector to follow suit , it’s clear that many Malaysians are calling for change. Our recent survey reveals that 71% of Malaysians disagree with the current minimum wage, reflecting concerns over the rising cost of living and economic sustainability. Is it time for a new approach to ensure fair wages for all? What do you think about the current wage policies and what improvements can be made? #Malaysia #MinimumWage #EconomyMADANI