Progressive Wage Model for the waste management sector
Coverage and responsibilities
Citizen and PR waste-collection and materials-recovery workers at licensed general/public waste collectors and general waste disposal facilities are covered. NEA requires PWM compliance through licensing. Classification follows duties and the linked self-assessment tool, not title alone.
Roles in both subsectors
Role
Responsibilities
Collection captain
Helps manage services, stock, equipment and maintenance, mentors drivers, handles incidents and collections when needed, and can drive more than one truck type.
Senior driver
Collects with little/no supervision, operates equipment, handles incidents and leads or mentors drivers.
Driver
Collects as directed, operates equipment and handles incidents; typically needs Class 4 or above for rear-end loaders or hooklifts. Crew or team leads can drive if licence and training requirements are met.
Collection supervisor
Helps manage collection services, inventory, maintenance, teams and incidents.
Collection team lead
Collects when needed, mentors crew and delivers on-job training.
Senior crew / crew
Senior staff collect with little supervision; crew act as directed. Both handle tools and incidents.
Plant supervisor
Helps manage materials recovery, inventory, equipment, maintenance, teams and incidents.
Recovery team lead
Undertakes recovery where needed, mentors and trains sorters, and handles machinery and incidents.
Machine operator
Uses heavy machinery, including forklifts.
Senior sorter / sorter
Senior staff recover material with little supervision and guide new sorters; sorters act as directed. Both operate tools and handle incidents.
Wages and annual PWM bonus
Gross wage includes basic pay, allowances for travel, food or housing, and productivity incentives; it excludes bonuses including AWS, stock options, special-expense reimbursements, payments in kind and employer CPF. Full-time tables cover 35–44 hours a week and exclude overtime. Collection captains have market-determined wages. Eligible workers receive an annual PWM bonus of at least one month’s basic wage. Part-time wages and bonus are pro-rated. The official page notes a 2025 schedule review.
Collection drivers: monthly gross minimum
Role
Jul 2024–Jun 2025
Jul 2025–Jun 2026
Jul 2026–Jun 2027
Jul 2027–Jun 2028
Jul 2028–Jun 2029
Senior driver
S$3120
S$3330
S$3540
S$3750
S$3960
Hooklift driver
S$2920
S$3130
S$3340
S$3550
S$3760
Driver
S$2820
S$3030
S$3240
S$3450
S$3660
Collection teams: monthly gross minimum
Role
Jul 2024–Jun 2025
Jul 2025–Jun 2026
Jul 2026–Jun 2027
Jul 2027–Jun 2028
Jul 2028–Jun 2029
Supervisor
S$3070
S$3280
S$3490
S$3700
S$3910
Team lead
S$2820
S$3030
S$3240
S$3450
S$3660
Senior crew
S$2620
S$2830
S$3040
S$3250
S$3460
Crew
S$2420
S$2630
S$2840
S$3050
S$3260
Materials recovery: monthly gross minimum
Role
Jul 2024–Jun 2025
Jul 2025–Jun 2026
Jul 2026–Jun 2027
Jul 2027–Jun 2028
Jul 2028–Jun 2029
Plant supervisor
S$2920
S$3130
S$3340
S$3550
S$3760
Team lead
S$2720
S$2930
S$3140
S$3350
S$3560
Senior sorter / machine operator
S$2520
S$2730
S$2940
S$3150
S$3360
Sorter
S$2320
S$2530
S$2740
S$2950
S$3160
Overtime, training and future leave
Covered Part 4 full-time staff working over 44 hours need both overtime at least 1.5 times basic rate and the PWM gross minimum including overtime. Crew and sorters need at least 2 approved WSQ Statements of Attainment; higher roles need additional approved modules according to level. Annex A of the TCWM addendum supplies the full training list. Use PW Portal to check records. From 2029, outsourced workers’ minimum annual leave will rise from 7 to 10 days in phases, with sector-specific timetables to be agreed.
All waste-management overtime rates
These hourly OT requirements follow the linked waste-collection/materials-recovery schedule, effective each 1 July. They accompany, rather than replace, the gross wage baseline and Part 4 obligations.
