ALU-TUCP mulls wage hike petition

CEBU, Philippines - The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines is contemplating to file a wage hike petition within the month citing a supervening condition.

Joy Lim, ALU-TUCP spokesperson in Central Visayas, said they still have to discuss the amount but it would be more or less the same as their counterpart in Manila has filed.

“Most probably within the month we will file the petition. The amount would be more or less the same that was filed by TUCP,” Lim said.

TUCP, the umbrella organization of ALU, filed the other day the petition seeking P90 increase in the daily minimum wage for workers in Metro Manila.

Another labor organization, Alliance of Progressive Labor, is expected to make consultations with the other labor leaders to get a consensus before filing any petition for wage increase before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.

APL chairman Jose Tomongha said that there are already supervening events that would merit wage increase. Tomongha cited the rapid increases in oil prices as well as the prime commodities which have reached almost 10-percent.

The RTWPB-7 approved in September 22, 2011 a P20 increase in the daily minimum wage in Central Visayas.

What was granted however was way below the P100 and P120 increase petitioned by the two labor organizations. Currently, the minimum wage in Centrals Visayas ranges from P240 to P305 daily depending on the business establishment's area of classification and to what type of industry/sector a worker belongs.

Under the law, the RTWPB cannot issue another wage order within one year unless there is a supervening condition. (FREEMAN)