For lack of jurisdiction: RTWPB-7 junks P100 wage hike

CEBU, Philippines —  Citing lack of jurisdiction, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB)-7 has junked the P100 across-the-board wage hike petition filed by various labor groups in Central Visayas.

Partido Manggagawa-Cebu along with 10 other labor organizations earlier sought an increase for all wage earners in the region arguing that skyrocketing inflation has affected everyone in the labor sector. 

All six members of the regional wage board, including labor sector representatives, were unanimous in dismissing the petition citing a February 6, 2007 Supreme Court decision in the case of Metro Bank and Trust Company versus the National Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board and RTWPB in Region 2 wherein the high tribunal ruled that the grant of across-the-board wage increase does not fall within the jurisdiction of RTWPB.

 According to the SC, RTWPB’s authority is only limited to granting regional wage increase to employees earning the statutory minimum wage rates based on the standards/criteria established by law.

 “The Board unanimously agreed to adopt the aforementioned Supreme Court decision affirming that the Board has no jurisdiction to take appropriate action over an across-the-board petition,” reads a portion of the RTWPB-7 resolution dated March 14, 2023.

 PM-Cebu spokesperson Dennis Derige said the resolution is “highly condemnable”.

 Derige said they are planning to either seek for reconsideration or re-file a modified petition for minimum wage increase. Derige, however, reiterated that the effects of high inflation rate did limit to the minimum wage earners but all workers are affected.

 “Gamay ra man ang diperensiya sa nagdawatan og minimum wage and above minimum wage pero ang high inflation igo tanan. Their act is highly condemnable,” said Derige.

The resolution, however, stated that the Board continues to review and assess the socio-economic conditions in the region as part of its functions as provided for under Republic Act 6727 otherwise known as the Wage Rationalization Act.

On March 3, 2023, PM-Cebu along with the Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggawa (SENTRO), Globalwear Employees Union-PIGLAS (GEU-PIGLAS), Association of Globalwear Supervisory Employees Union–PIGLAS (AGSEU-PIGLAS), MEPZ Workers Alliance (MWA), Workers Organization of LAMI Food (WOLF), Prince Warehouse Club Mandaue Employees Union–LAW (PWCMEU – LAW), ILAW–Buklod ng Manggagawa-United Miners of Carmen Copper (IBM-UMCC-WSN), KEPCO Cebu Employees Union-Workers Solidarity Network (KCEA-WSN), ILAW at Buklod ng Manggagawa sa General Milling Corporation (IBM-GMC), and Bohol Alliance of Labor Organizations (BALO) petitioned for a P100 across-the-board wage increase among non-agriculture and agriculture sector and service/retail establishments employing 15 workers or less, and manufacturing industries regularly employing less than ten workers.

 The petitioners claimed that when adjusted to October 2022 inflation, the current P435 minimum wage in Central Visayas already lost at least P76, and, based on economic projections, shall continue to lose more within this year and in the next several months.

Aside from this petition, the other wage hike petition filed by eight labor organizations in Cebu seeking P292.50 increase in the minimum wage in the private sector and P1,000 monthly for  domestic helpers in Central Visayas remains pending before the RTWPB-7.- FPL (FREEMAN)