Dole to hold fora on wage hike

The Department of Labor and Employment has scheduled consultations and wage forums concerning the most recent wage hike petition filed by the Alliance of Progressive Labor.

DOLE-7 regional director Elias Cayanong said the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board has scheduled a consultation with the employers in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on June 15.

The move was initiated after labor secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas has ordered the RTWPBs to start evaluating the merits of the wage hike petitions.

Cayanong said that consultations would soon follow in the other parts of the region, but these have not been scheduled yet. However, he said, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has spearheaded an information drive among the employers of the city concerning the wage hike petition by APL.

He said that consultations would be held in different parts of the region, but the wage hearing would definitely be held in Cebu City since it is the industrial center of the region.

APL filed a petition on February 23 of this year, asking for a P95-across-the-board increase in the minimum daily wage of the region. The petition was supported by other labor groups such as Tambuli Beach Club Employees Union, Cebu Beach Club Employees Union, London Biscuit Employees Organization, and Norkis Free Independent Workers Union, among others, saying that there have been lots of "supervening events" that would justify a new wage order, since the P15 minimum wage increase last June 15 of last year.

The labor groups are optimistic that the RTWPB would grant their demand for a wage increase in the region even if it would not be the exact amount that they have asked. The minimum wage in the region currently stands at P223 a day.

RTWPB has earlier asked APL for supporting documents to prove their claims of "supervening events" as members of the board are not convinced of the groups' reasons for the petition. APL, with 10 other local workers' union, has complied with the board's requirements. - Noreen B. Napoles