Saturday, December 13, 2003
Labor TF to look into wage implementation
By Christine Mae A. Pelayo
* In Negros Occidental including Bacolod City, the violation rate out of 1,151 establishments inspected is 17.72 percent as of November 30
TO MONITOR the existence of Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs) and other violations committed by management against employees, a labor task force was created to run against commercial establishments that do not impose the minimum wage order and other workers' rights and benefits in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City.
Through an executive order, Mayor Luzviminda Valdez, Regional Development Council head for Western Visayas, ordered the creation of the task force following reports of the skyrocketing number of the worst form of child labor (WFCL) cases in the region, sixth all over the country.
Although the RDC-Region VI earlier blamed the increase in child labor cases to poverty, it also noted the growing sentiments of the workers particularly the organized labor in Bacolod on the commercial firms' compliance to the wage orders issued by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Region VI, as well as to labor standards, Social Security System (SSS), Medicare and other labor laws enacted for the uplifting and protection of workers in government and private establishments.
The task force's creation was requested by the City Council through Resolution No. 394, Series of 1996, during the stint of former mayor Evelio Leonardia.
"The said resolution has been long overdue and the city did not take action on it. I have it retrieved and this is to monitor the tripartite wages agreement," said Valdez on the forming of the labor task force.
The task force is composed of representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), City Mayor's Office, city council, business sector, other organized labor and such other persons who may be an asset to the task force.
Valdez disclosed she will convene the task force shortly to discuss specifics.
1996 data
In council's resolution in 1996 noted that in Region VI, out of 3,526 establishments inspected, the total violation rate of minimum wages is about 56.2 percent as of August 1995, while in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, out of 2,600 establishments inspected, the violation rate in minimum wages and other labor standards is about 65 percent as of November 1995.
It added that the indicators show that there is an urgent need to strictly monitor the implementation of wage orders and other labor standards in the various business establishments in the city.
Wage order
In Valdez's executive order, she cited that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board issued Wage Order RBVI-II effective January 2, 2002, providing the approved rates for six sectors in the city including the Sugar Industry, Non-agriculture (Industrial/Commercial), Agriculture, Hospitals, Cottage/Handicraft and Retail/Service.
Valdez revealed that in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, out of 1,151 establishments inspected, the violation rate is 17.72 percent as of November 30, 2003.
"To ensure the compliance of Wage Order RBVI-II and other labor standards to all covered workers in the city, the creation of a Labor Task Force is urgently needed to protect the economic welfare of the workers," said Valdez.
Suspended
On the other hand, Ricardo Monegro, officer-in-charge, Dole-Bacolod District Office, said Dole suspended its conduct of inspection on establishments starting middle of November 2003 until January 2004.
"This is to do away with graft and corruption since it is Christmas season," he said adding that several complaints have been forwarded to their office, as they conducted the inspection on the Occupation Safety and Health Standards compliance of commercial establishments.
"It is not included in the suspension because we can not compromise the health of workers," stressed Monegro.
He disclosed Dole's compliance rate on the resolved labor cases reached to almost 90 percent.
Monegro further said that they usually receive an average of two labor complaints every week.
"We send inspectors to validate the complaints and we also give the employer the time to restitute if not make an amicable settlement," said Monegro.
He, however, cannot cite the total number of establishments that committed violations under the Labor Code and the statistics on the total number of workers in Negros Occidental who were retrenched.
New rates
Sun.Star Bacolod obtained a document on the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board's new minimum wage rates.
They are as follows:
In the Sugar industry -- wage rates under WO RBVI-II, in the Mills category is P190 a day; agriculture plantation with capitalization of more than P3 million, P160 a day; not more than P3 million, P140 a day; and non-plantation is P135 a day.
In non-agriculture - with capitalization of more than P3 million, P180 a day; more then P1 million but not more than P3 million, P170 a day; not more than P1 million, P155 a day.
Agriculture - plantation with capitalization of more than P3 million and with annual gross sales of P5 million or more, P160 a day, less than P5 million, P155 a day; with capitalization of more than P1 million but not more than P3 million with annual gross sales of P5 million or more, P155, less than P5 million, P140; with capitalization of not more than P1 million, P140 a day; for non-plantation, P135 a day.
Hospitals - minimum wage rate is P180 a day while in the Cottage/Handicraft, P130 a day.
Retail/Service - in Highly Urbanized cities with capitalization and employment size of more than P3 million employing more than 15 workers, P180 a day, 11-15 workers, P170 a day; more than P1 million but not more than P3 million, P160 a day; not more than P1 million, P150 a day.
In component cities and municipalities with the capitalization of more than P3 million, P165; more than P1 million but not more than P3 million, P160; not more than P1 million, P150; employing not more than 10 workers, P130 a day.
(December 13, 2003 issue)
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