The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has said that wages still contain significant elements of seniority-based pay and so wage adjustments help older workers to remain employed ('Adjustments help seniors stay employed'; Saturday).
However, it is unrealistic to peg older workers' wages to productivity and performance in sectors where better equipment, mechanisation and new technology are not in place in the first place. Moreover, there are physical limits for older workers in 'blue collar' industries.
The employment rate of older residents aged 55 to 64 was 57 per cent last year. Since seniors continue to contribute to the country's economic growth with reduced incomes, the public and private sectors should balance that with fair and genuine concessions.
Actually most of the current concessions to older workers and the elderly are conditional and insincere. For instance, in public transport, why impose time-zone restrictions when seniors need to travel to and fro from work?
Why are ticket concessions in cinemas withdrawn on public holidays, weekends and weekdays after 5pm when it is family time?
The seniors in our society deserve genuine concessions. They have no desire to be treated as 'load-fillers' by public transport operators and 'lull-period customers' by commercial businesses.
The Government could also look at offering older workers discounts in hospital and medical bills, waiver of radio and TV licence fees and lower property tax rates.
Paul Chan