DOLE’s logic for a needless wage hike exemplifies inutility, insensitivity

TUCP asked to renounce faith on wage boards, join Unity For P125 alliance 

Kilusang Mayo Uno slammed DOLE Secretary Marianito Roque for announcing today that ‘another wage adjustment is not possible,’ and by resorting again to a package of non-wage benefits. 

KMU Spokesperson Prestoline Suyat said that Roque’s argument that rising oil prices ‘is not only a problem in the Philippines, so we have to look at other measures to address the problem other than increasing salaries,’ is a reckless and insensitive excuse to evade the validity of a wage hike.  

Roque said regional wage boards may not grant another wage increase amid high prices, despite its mandate to adjust wages under supervening conditions. 

“DOLE only exemplified the inutility of the wage boards and itself in addressing labor concerns. Even before Roque’s pronouncement, we have long called for the abolishment of wage boards for in 20 years now, these have only served to deceive and degrade workers amid numerous ‘supervening’ conditions.” 

Suyat reiterated that only through a legislated across-the-board wage hike can the workers expect temporary relief. 

A stand which the labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines is now entertaining. 

For this, Suyat adviced the TUCP “to not waste their efforts in elevating the issue to the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court after the NCR wage board failed to grant the wage hike amount they demanded, and their subsequent motion for reconsideration was dismissed. 

“The motive for instituting the wage boards is basically to avoid substantial legislated hikes. Dealing with the wage boards will only be futile.” 

Suyat asked the TUCP to join instead the Unity For P125 alliance launched last month, a broad formation of various sectors and groups, in which various labor organizations are already pioneering members. 

“They better side now with a true pro-worker stand for a P125 legislated hike,” Suyat added. ###