I refer to the article “Inflow of foreign workers slows, while more locals were employed in 2013” (Straits Times, Mar 14).

Real median income grew 1.8%?

It states that “Income growth improved due to the tight labour market and lower inflation. Real median monthly incomes for fully-employed Singaporeans hiked by 4.6 per cent in 2013”.

According to the Labour Market 2013 report released today, the real increase in income (excluding employer CPF) was only 1.8 per cent, from $2,925 in 2012 to $3,052 in 2013, with inflation at 2.5 per cent.

Real median income grew 1% p.a. last 5 years?

The real change (per cent per annum) from 2008 to 2013 was only 1.0 per cent.

So, for example – if a Singaporean worker earned say $2,900 5 years ago – his real increase in income for the past 5 years is only about $148 ($30 per year)  to $3,048 in 2013.

Since the median is for half of all Singaporean workers – a lot of workers may have gotten even less than 1 per cent real increase in income per year for the last 5 years.

Real 20th percentile income grew 0.3% p.a. last decade?

For the 20th percentile – the real change per annum for the last 10 years from 2003 to 2013 was only 0.3 per cent.

So, using a similar example – if a Singaporean worker earned say $1,200 10 years ago – his real increase in income for the past 10 years is only about $36 ($3 per year) to $1,236 in 2013.

S-pass grew 13%?

Despite the consistent rhetoric about the curtailment of foreign labour and increasing evidence and complaints about employment pass and S-pass holders taking aways particularly PMET jobs from, and depressing the wages of Singaporeans – the number of Employment Pass holders grew by 1,300 or 0.8 per cent to 175,100 and S-pass holders grew by 18,500 or a whopping 13 per cent to 160,900 in 2013.

The combined employment pass and S-pass has grown to 236,000.

If you read the reports from our 150th Press Freedom ranking media – would you have realised that the above labour statistics are so pathetic?

Leong Sze Hian