A recent survey conducted by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM – commonly known as Gung Luen in Cantonese) in collaboration with Macau Economic Association found that nearly 70 percent of respondents have not seen any changes to their salaries throughout 2024, FAOM announced in a press conference on Friday.
The survey, which ran from January to December and collected a total of 2,051 valid questionnaires, also revealed that about 10 percent of respondents reported a decrease in income.
The overall job satisfaction rating averaged 6.19, indicating a slight easing of concerns compared to the previous year, though over 52 percent of respondents still expressed worries about their current work environment, according to the findings.
Findings showed that while 70 percent of respondents reported no change in salary, 20 percent noted an increase, and nearly 10 percent experienced a reduction in income due to pay cuts. Additionally, 36 percent of respondents acknowledged that the issue of illegal non-resident workers (NRWs) remains serious.
Despite a slight decrease in overall job-related anxiety – down four percentage points from 2023 – about 52 percent of the respondents still expressed concerns about their work environment. Among them, 11 percent reported feeling very anxious, attributing their worries to intense competition, poor industry prospects, and age-related concerns, the findings show, while the willingness to change jobs has decreased, with only 11 percent of respondents considering a career switch, a three percentage point decline from the last survey.
The average working hours reported by participants were 8.37 hours per day, according to the findings. Trade unionist Lam Lon Wai suggested addressing the issue of excessive “invisible” working hours by granting employees the “right to disconnect from the internet”, encouraging companies to respect employees’ personal time and prevent after-hours communications.
Lam also called for a comprehensive review and optimisation of the Labour Relations Law to strengthen employee rights, including regulations on overtime pay, unpaid wages, holiday systems, minimum wage, severance pay, and maternity leave.
Over 40 percent of respondents expressed a desire for more on-the-job training, with a particular demand from the 26 to 45 age group. Lam recommended providing market-orientated vocational skills training and establishing scholarships for middle-aged employees, incorporating certifications into promotion and salary considerations to encourage continuous learning.
This screenshot captured yesterday from the livestream video uploaded by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM) on Friday shows trade unionist Lam Lon Wai addressing media about FAOM’s recent survey results on local workers’ current salary status.
