HSEU calls for sustained wage growth following 7% pay rise announcement for community care workers

Healthcare Services Employees’ Union (HSEU) President K Thanaletchimi has affirmed on 17 February 2026 that the union will continue to push for sustained wage growth for all healthcare workers. 

Her statement came after Health Minister Ong Ye Kung’s announcement that staff in the Community Care Organisations (CCO) will see their wages increase by about 7 per cent or more by the end of 2026 or the start of 2027.

Some 23,000 workers in the community care sector are expected to benefit from the revised salary guidelines. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said it will release more details of the updated salary guidelines in the coming months.

Ms Thanaletchimi added that the union has worked closely with MOH to regularly review healthcare workers’ salaries, including those outside acute hospital settings.

She stressed that community care workers shoulder responsibilities comparable to those of their counterparts in acute care and deserve stronger recognition and competitive wages.

“HSEU has been actively advocating for better recognition and more competitive wages in the community care sector, to narrow the salary gap between the community care and acute care sectors,” said Ms Thanaletchimi, who is also the NTUC president.

Salary review follows earlier sector-wide pay adjustments

At a visit to St Luke’s Hospital on Lunar Year’s Day, Mr Ong said the move builds on earlier salary adjustments implemented in July last year for large groups of healthcare workers, including nurses, allied health professionals and support staff.

He noted that community care workers had also sought similar recognition.

To help CCOs manage higher operating costs arising from the wage adjustments, MOH will provide an initial tranche of around $100 million in support.

At the same time, subsidies for long-term care services, such as nursing homes, Senior Care Centres and home personal care, will increase from July this year.

Healthcare companies should adopt AI through CTCs

Ms Thanaletchimi welcomed the progress made through tripartite collaboration and urged all CCOs to meet the new salary guidelines.

She added that HSEU will continue to champion healthcare workers’ rights across the sector.

“Our healthcare workers deserve meaningful and sustained wage growth, so that the healthcare sector remains attractive to talent and continues delivering quality care to Singaporeans,” she said.

Meanwhile, HSEU Executive Secretary Steven Goh also encouraged CCOs to tap on NTUC’s Company Training Committee (CTC) Grant to adopt technology and leverage AI to improve worker efficiency and productivity.

“The adoption of technology can help alleviate workers from mundane and manual tasks, which will translate to better job satisfaction and improved worker retention,” he said.

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