‘BARAT NA PASAHOD’: LABOR GROUPS SLAM DOLE FOR BEING ‘PRO-CAPITALIST’

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — In the face of high prices of basic commodities, several labor groups have expressed dismay over the approved P35 minimum salary increase for the private sector in Metro Manila as they anticipated lower wage hikes outside the National Capital Region (NCR).

The labor groups under the National Wage Coalition (NWC) slammed the “measly” minimum wage hike in NCR and tagged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as “pro-capitalist”.

“Ang nakakalungkot pa po, parang ang DOLE at regional wage boards ay kumampi pa sa employers. They chose to side and take more consideration to the profits of capitalism and employers rather than towards a living wage,” Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Legislative Officer Paul Gajes lamented.

Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Secretary General Jerome Adonis said the approved increase in NCR will be used as a basis for setting the minimum wage in other regions even if wage petitions higher than P35 will be filed.

“Base sa karanasan, mas maliit ang kaya nilang ipasa sa mga region at nakakalungkot, maliit na nga, hinahati pa sa tranches. Barya na nga lang, pagdating sa mga region, binabarya pa lalo. Kitang-kita ‘yung kawalang respeto, kawalang pagkilala doon sa napakahalagang ambag ng mga manggagawa,” Adonis noted.

For the Federation of Free Workers (FFW), with the wage hike in NCR, set lower than the value requested in wage petitions, other Regional Wage Boards may push back in deciding on a new minimum wage in their areas.

“Hindi under pressure itong ibang wage boards to give increases now kasi ang panghahawakan nila ‘yong anibersaryo ng mga wage orders noong previous years. Therefore, it gives them much leverage na i-dribble ang wage petitions hanggang hindi na sila magbigay,” FFW Vice President Julius Cainglet quipped.

Last June 20, petitioners led by Partido Manggagawa (PM) called for a P1,207 minimum wage in the NCR and urged the Regional Tripartite and Productivity Board (RTWPB) to conduct a more in-depth study on the current needs of workers to ensure they earn living wages that would enable them to support their families.

(el Amigo/mnm)