Labor groups plan to file wage hike petition

CEBU, Philippines - Insisting that the current minimum wage rates are insufficient, organized labor groups are planning to file more wage petitions to help workers cope with the rising cost of essential commodities.

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines announced yesterday the plan to appeal before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Luzon and several other regions.

“We are still studying how much, but we will definitely file a formal wage petition for the granting of salary hike for Central Luzon workers in the next few weeks,” TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said.

Tanjusay said TUCP and their affiliate unions have already filed wage petitions in Metro Manila, Central Visayas, Calabarzon, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan and Davao.

TUCP and other labor groups have also called on the government, particularly the Department of Labor and Employment, to review the existing wage system in the country.

They said even the newly implemented two-tiered system is insufficient to provide workers decent wages.

“The wage mechanism of the wage board should be reviewed to show that it has no capacity to provide the additional wage hike that the workers are requesting,” TUCP officials said in Filipino.

At least 40 labor groups have joined forces and vowed to mount a massive Labor Day protest action to press for salary hike and other labor reforms.

Labor leaders said they would continue their protest actions after May if the government would not grant their demands.

Until yesterday, labor groups said they are still waiting for the government’s official announcement on the benefit package, a gift for workers on Labor Day.

“Whether the workers will receive the gift or not, the protest action will push through on May 1,” Tanjusay noted.

Meanwhile for the first time, the government and workers are going separate ways and will not celebrate Labor Day together.

DOLE spokesman Nicon Fameronag said that after so many years of having joint Labor Day celebrations, government and labor are holding separate activities on May 1.

“We have invited them to join our activities, but they have opted to hold their own activities for Labor Day,” Fameronag disclosed.

TUCP, which usually holds Labor Day activities with DOLE, is set to join 40 other trade unions for the planned massive protest action in Mendiola street near Malacañang. – (FREEMAN)