CL labor sector lobbies for P30 daily wage hike

During the culmination of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board III (RTWPB-3) region-wide consultation on wage adjustment with various industries operating within Central Luzon at the Ephatha Center of the Social Action Center of Pampanga on Friday, labor and management representatives gave their recommendations in the setting of new daily wages.

Like in previous consultations, both groups were asked if there is a need to adjust the current minimum wage, how much, and when should it be implemented. As far as having a minimum wage increase is concerned, both sectors agreed that it is timely due to increases on basic commodities brought about by the TRAIN Law implementation and the increase in fuel prices as well as rice shortages which have also contributed to the clamor for increasing the prevailing daily wage.

But while the labor sector lobbied for a P30 increase on workers’ basic pay, the management sector was amenable for an increase of about P15 to P20 only, agreeing however, to the proposed minimum wage order’s effectivity date within the third quarter of 2018.

Presently, the region’s daily minimum wage is P380 for non-agri firms with P30-million or more assets and P373 for those with less than P30-million assets. The coverage of the prevailing daily minimum wage of these non-agri firms covers all provinces except Aurora which is pegged at P329.

For agri-based firms, the prevailing minimum wage is pegged at P350 and P334 for plantation and non-plantation, respectively. These agri-rates cover all provinces except Aurora which has its rates pegged at P314 and P302 for plantation and nonplantation respectively.

Wage rates of retail and services industries are P369 and P355 for 16 or more workers and less than 16 workers, respectively. These retail and services rates cover all provinces except for Aurora which only has a rate for firms with less than 16 workers computed at P264.

The RTWPB-3 or Regional Wage Board

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