Chui calls on employers to raise salaries

2011-11 -17
From: Macau Daily Times

Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On (C, L) met yesterday with lawmakers to further explain the governments policies for 2012

The Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On yesterday urged employers to raise employee wages so they may be able to catch up with Macaus economic development. He also called on labour and employers representatives to get more involved in the social security system.
Yesterday, Chui met with lawmakers for three hours to answer to their questions on the 2012 Policy Address, which had been announced a day before, and only Chui Sai Cheong the Chief Executives brother and Lau Cheok Va the Legislative Assembly president didnt take the opportunity to raise questions.
Why do wages continue to be so low and dont follow the economic growth? asked Kwan Tsui Hang, who is also a member of the Federation of Trade Unions.
Chui acknowledged that the majority of the population has an income that is not in line with the economic development and sent a clear message to businesspeople in the territory.
The SAR Government attaches great importance to enhancing a medium level income of the population. I call on the businesspeople to pay attention to this issue, the governments top official said.
We intend to give more attention to workers and protect at least those that are in entry level positions. We hope their income can reach the level of [Macaus] economic growth, because it is not balanced nowadays, he pointed out.
On the other hand, responding to Joseacute Pereira Coutinho, head of the main public workers association, the top official did not disclose whether civil servants will get a raise or not. There was some expectation as to a public workers salary increase and Pereira Coutinho had asked for a seven percent raise, but the government only announced that it will study a mechanism to automatically adjust salaries to the inflation rate.
Pereira Coutinho asked for more details, but Chui pushed the matter to the secretary for Administration and Justice Florinda Chan, who will meet lawmakers next Tuesday and Wednesday.
It will be hard to give an answer today. My position has not changed. Whether in private or public sectors, all workers expect their wages to be adjusted this year [2012], the Chief Executive said.
Ung Choi Kun also expressed concerns over the wages of judges and prosecutors, saying they are lower than those of some the Administrations legal advisors.
However, Chui downplayed comments since judges and prosecutors wages are attached to the Chief Executives salary. He admitted that their wages have remained untouched since the implementation of the Macau SAR.

Tripartite responsibility

Businessman and lawmaker Dominic Sio Chi Wai urged the government to do something for the population, calling on the increase of contributions for the social security system and more investment in education and health, in order to also help the middle class.
Just like he had done on Tuesday, the Chief Executive restated that the government will try its best to carry on studies on the increase of the monthly elderly pension and the contributions for the social security system without affecting the systems sustainability.
However, he urged a change of mindset of both employers and labour representatives in the committee for coordination of social affairs.
The social security system includes the participation of the three parties [government, employers and labour representatives], but 90 percent of costs shall be borne by the government. Hence, this is not healthy, he warned.
Chui argued that Macaus financial situation is healthy, but stressed that all three parties are responsible for the social security system.
The government has already committed that it will inject funds, but this does not mean it will take full responsibility in the long term. The system should include the participation of all parties, he said.
Next year, the government will again inject MOP 6,000 into each eligible Central Provident Fund account. This legal system is the second part of the double-tier social security scheme, which is yet to be drafted. Still, the executive has already deposited in residents accounts MOP 10,000 and MOP 6,000 in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
As for the first tier of the scheme, the non-mandatory central provident fund was revised and has been in force since January. However, contributions from employers and employees remained unchanged and Chui has recently pledged to increase them, by starting a new debate in the standing committee for coordination of social affairs.
Chui reiterated that the elderly population is one of the governments top priorities. Thus, the government has increased some allowances in the 2012 Policy Address. He also vowed to start works in the standing committee in order to enhance the social security funds efficiency.
The central provident fund is not mandatory at this stage [hellip] we plan to improve it and launch more studies so that there is a clear plan for a healthy development of our social security system, and thus, increase the support of our elderly. But people cannot count only with government support, he said.

Copyright Macau Daily Times