Labor group seeks minimum pay increase

By Rachelle M. Nessia

Friday 27th of April 2012

DUMAGUETE CITY, April 27 (PIA) -- The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Unions Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) in Negros Oriental is seeking a P90 daily minimum wage increase.

The petition was prompted by the wave of price increases of basic commodities and petroleum products in the country, said Felizardo Calimpong of ALU-TUCP here.

Calimpong said they already filed their petition for wage increase at the Regional Wage Board.

He said they were forced to submit a pay increase petition despite the one-year ban mandated by Republic Act 6727 due to the increase in prices of basic commodities and petroleum products.

RA 6727's Wage Order Year Rule states that no petition for wage increase may be entertained by the Wage Board within the one-year period from the last time a wage order has been implemented, provided that there are supervening conditions.

The last wage increase here, which was at P20 per day, took effect in September 2011.

Calimpong said the supervening conditions they cited in their petition are the increase of prices of petroleum products and prime commodities.

“I hope that the employers would consider our grounds for the petition which is based on the current situation of the workers, considering the increase of petroleum products and basic commodities,” said Calimpong in a recent Kapihan gathering held by the Philippine Information Agency here.

Local businessman Don Ramas-Uypitching, who sits in the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC) representing the management sector, said the petition for wage increase should not be a problem for companies who can afford to do so.

“If they can afford to, why not? I know there are a lot of companies here who do not wait for the government to enforce what should be the minimum wage,” he said.

He, however, warned that if the pay increase is granted, this might affect smaller businesses who are not doing well financially, forcing them to either lay-off workers or shut down.

The Regional Tripartite Wage Board in Region 7 is expected to issue a decision in May this year. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)