CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – It’s a conflict between P75 and “less than P20” that will be resolved in time for Christmas for minimum wage earners in Central Luzon.
Contrary to earlier projections that the minimum wage issue in the region would be resolved in the first week of October, Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) secretary Elizabeth Teves told Punto that more consultations and public hearings are being conducted to resolve the issue.
She admitted that the management sector, while not objecting to a minimum wage increase, seems capable of granting “less than P20”. She noted this is lower than the P32 minimum wage increase granted in Metro Manila.
The labor sector in the region, she noted, had petitioned for a P75 wage increase.
“By next week, we might have a more accurate estimate of how much the stakeholders could agree upon,” she said.
In an earlier interview, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional director Ernesto Bihis cited reports that the management sector was willing to give only from P10 to P12 pay increase.
“Any wage hike could be retroactive, effective immediately or deferred for implementation depending on the analysis of the board,” he said.
The move for the P75 wage increase in Central Luzon was initiated by a petition filed by a member of regional Trade Union Council of the Philippines (TUCP).
“That’s what the TUCP in the region wants, although we know the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) has stuck to its P125 wage increase demand,” Bihis said.
Bihis noted that the labor sector in Central Luzon tend to be sympathetic to the difficulties affecting the management sector amid global economic crunch and the effects of severe weather disturbances last year amid an 8.5 percent unemployment rate in the region.
The last wage order in Central Luzon was dated June 16, 2008. The present wage rates in the region’s provinces, except Aurora, is P302 for non-agricultural workers of firms with assets worth P30 million or more, P294.50 for workers for firms with less assets and P272 for agricultural plantation workers and P256 for non-plantation workers.
In hospitals with 20 or more beds, the minimum wage is P293, while those in hospitals with less beds get P278. Retail outlets with 16 or more workers are supposed to give a minimum pay of P291 while those with less workers pay them P277. Cottage industry workers get a minimum of P256.
In Aurora, which is regarded as most rural in the region, the pay for workers is P251 in the non-agriculture sector and in agriculture, P236 for plantation workers and P216 for non-plantation workers, while retail industry workers get P173. Those in the cottage industry get a pay of P224.
Bihis said he expected some employers affected by the economic crunch would apply for exemptions in case another minimum wage is approved in Central Luzon. He noted that among those significantly adversely affected are sectors in garments, tourism, transport and power generation.
“I suppose that those in retail and service employing less than 10 workers can be considered from exemptions,” he added.
Contrary to earlier projections that the minimum wage issue in the region would be resolved in the first week of October, Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) secretary Elizabeth Teves told Punto that more consultations and public hearings are being conducted to resolve the issue.
She admitted that the management sector, while not objecting to a minimum wage increase, seems capable of granting “less than P20”. She noted this is lower than the P32 minimum wage increase granted in Metro Manila.
The labor sector in the region, she noted, had petitioned for a P75 wage increase.
“By next week, we might have a more accurate estimate of how much the stakeholders could agree upon,” she said.
In an earlier interview, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional director Ernesto Bihis cited reports that the management sector was willing to give only from P10 to P12 pay increase.
“Any wage hike could be retroactive, effective immediately or deferred for implementation depending on the analysis of the board,” he said.
The move for the P75 wage increase in Central Luzon was initiated by a petition filed by a member of regional Trade Union Council of the Philippines (TUCP).
“That’s what the TUCP in the region wants, although we know the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) has stuck to its P125 wage increase demand,” Bihis said.
Bihis noted that the labor sector in Central Luzon tend to be sympathetic to the difficulties affecting the management sector amid global economic crunch and the effects of severe weather disturbances last year amid an 8.5 percent unemployment rate in the region.
The last wage order in Central Luzon was dated June 16, 2008. The present wage rates in the region’s provinces, except Aurora, is P302 for non-agricultural workers of firms with assets worth P30 million or more, P294.50 for workers for firms with less assets and P272 for agricultural plantation workers and P256 for non-plantation workers.
In hospitals with 20 or more beds, the minimum wage is P293, while those in hospitals with less beds get P278. Retail outlets with 16 or more workers are supposed to give a minimum pay of P291 while those with less workers pay them P277. Cottage industry workers get a minimum of P256.
In Aurora, which is regarded as most rural in the region, the pay for workers is P251 in the non-agriculture sector and in agriculture, P236 for plantation workers and P216 for non-plantation workers, while retail industry workers get P173. Those in the cottage industry get a pay of P224.
Bihis said he expected some employers affected by the economic crunch would apply for exemptions in case another minimum wage is approved in Central Luzon. He noted that among those significantly adversely affected are sectors in garments, tourism, transport and power generation.
“I suppose that those in retail and service employing less than 10 workers can be considered from exemptions,” he added.
