MM workers seek P184 wage hike

Workers in Metro Manila yesterday filed a petition for an across-the-board wage increase of P184.

The Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) received the petition filed by the Associated Labor Union (ALU), Johnson Cañete, director of the Department of Labor and EmploymentNational Capital Region, said.

“The last wage order issued by the RTWPB was a year ago, which means we cannot issue a new one unless the petitioners can show there are supervening conditions,” Cañete said.

The RTWPB had dismissed the first petition for salary increase filed by the Association of Minimum Wage Earners and Advocates.

Cañete said the board would act on the petition by June when the one-year prohibition has lapsed.

Gerard Seno, executive vice president of ALU, said workers should be given a wage increase to restore their purchasing power.

The daily minimum wage in Metro Manila is P491.

Citing government figures, Seno said the purchasing power of minimum wage earners has been eroded by 27.3 percent.

“The minimum wage in Metro Manila is equivalent to P357 due to rising prices of essential commodities and basic services,” he said.

Seno said the daily minimum wage should be raised to P675.

He said the RTWPB has granted a wage hike of only P1 wage since 1989.

Seno added the last three wage increases approved by the wage board failed to respond to the needs of workers.

In May 2016, the RTWPB granted an increase of P10 in cost of living allowance and integration of the previous P15 COLA in the daily minimum pay of workers.

Labor groups led by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and Association of Minimum Wage Earners and AdvocatesPhilippines Trade and General Workers Organization filed a petition last year for wage hikes of P154 and P150, respectively.