50% traders in Negros Oriental violate wage law
-A A +AWednesday, April 25, 2012
FIFTY percent of the businessmen in Negros Oriental have violated the minimum wage law, according to the Department of Labor and Employment.
Labor employment inspector Kendrick Villaluz, in a Kapihan forum of the Philippine Information Agency held at Bethel Guest House Tuesday morning, revealed only 50 percent have complied the minimum wage law.
Based on current wage law, workers in the non-agriculture and sugar mill industry should be receiving P275 for the first eight hours while workers in the agriculture industry should be receiving P255 a day.
In an interview, Villaluz told Sun.Star that majority of the violators are those who engage in retail and wholesale businesses and sugar farmers.
Villaluz, however, refused to name names for investigation.
He also admitted that there was no even single complaint filed against the violators because the complainant refused to cooperate.
With this connection, Villaluz said the Dole introduced alternative strategies such as to conduct surprise and routine inspections to all business establishments.
The labor official also admitted that Dole 7 have 20 labor inspectors deployed in four provinces in Central Visayas.
He stressed that they have difficulties to finish their task.
Despite the situation, a top official of the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) Felizardo Calimpong is optimistic that businessmen if realize that capital will not move without workers, they will not hesitate to comply with the minimum wage law.
Calimpong, however, admitted that they understand the capacity of some businessmen but he stressed that there are also more than capable but still do not follow the law.
He also said that they should not file another round of petition for the P90 wage increase but because basic commodities are all increasing, workers need additional income to augment their family needs.
The current minimum wage in Central Luzon Region was approved on September 2011 or less than one year, he said.
