Wage boards a failure, workers want legislated wage hike

The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Labor Center blasted Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s statement during the 28th National Conference of Employers at the Manila Hotel stating that the Tripartite Regional Wage Boards are the best venue to tackle wage issues.

According to the KMU, the wage boards have failed time and again to uplift the plight of the workers. Citing the recent Social Weather Station survey, Lito Ustarez, Executive Vice-President of the KMU said that wage boards do not and cannot work in favor of the working people. “Mindanao has the lowest wage levels, with the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) minimum wage rate at Php 200/day and that is why the island registered the highest hunger incidence with 22.7% in February 2007. Despite to Metro Manila having the biggest wage rate, it still recorded a 20.7% hunger incidence which can be attributed to high cost of basic goods,” said Ustarez.

“This is the reason why we have been seeking for a legislated wage hike since 1999 because the wage board cannot deliver what the workers are expecting and favors the capitalists over the workers,” stated Ustarez. “The wage board decisions do not reflect the actual needs of the workers and their families.”

Ustarez clarified that if the Php 125 across-the-board wage hike is implemented, all workers and not merely the minimum wage earners will benefit from the said increase. “With the one of 5 Filipino going hungry, the urgency of a substantial wage hike is more evident,” ended Ustarez.