By: Donna Stephanie Claire Agcambot, Enah Fleur Mamac, Andrei Vielle Castillo and Myque Rollon/UM Interns
THE ASSOCIATED Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) XI reiterated its demand for a legislated daily salary wage during the 121st Labor Day Celebration on Monday, May 1.
TUCP Rep. Raymond Mendoza said House Bill 7871, or the Wage Recovery Act of 2023, seeks to address the issue of inadequate salary of workers due to inflation.
The bill does not make a distinction between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. They are covered by the proposed measure they are covered by the additional daily wage increase so long as they are private employees. The adjustment will also not impact any future increases set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.
Sofriano M. Mataro, ALU-TUCP XI regional vice president, said workers could not live dignified lives if they depended on their present wages alone.
“Sa pagkakaron ang atong sweldo diri, labi na ang 443 pesos dili jud na siya sapat. So, ang pagtaas sa inflation mao gyud nay hinungdan nga kinahanglan gyud na ang atong suholan dungagan na gyud (For now, our salary of P443 is not enough. So, inflation is why we need to increase wages),” Mataro said.
He added that the current minimum wage is not considered a living wage but a survival wage.
The ALU-TUCP is set to file a petition for a wage increase before the RTWPB XI and across the regions in the Philippines if House Bill 7871 won’t pass Congress scrutiny.
Meanwhile, ten labor groups from various private companies staged another protest rally along Roxas Avenue, demanding an across-the-board wage increase.
Apart from the legislated wage hike, Gregorio Soledad Jr. of the Pilipino Cable Corporation Davao Employees Union (PCCDEU) said they are also pushing for an end to contractualization.
“Dapat regular nga trabaho dili contractual. Diha sa atoang gobyerno gani klaro kaayo daghan kaayog mga JO dira, job order na dapat unta regular nga trabaho. Kay ug regular man gud imong trabaho labi na ug naa na kay pamilya naa na kay kasandigan. Labi na sa karon nga ang inflation taas kaayo (Jobs should be regularized and not contractual. Even in our government, there are too many JOs or job orders when they should be enjoying a regular job. If you have a regular job, especially when you have a family, you have something to rely on, especially now that inflation is so high),” he said.
The Samahang Manggagawa sa Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola Employees Workers Union, and PCCDEU were among the groups who participated in the rally.
