Sunday, November 11, 2007 Labor group accepts 5-peso wage hike By Edmund B. Sestoso
THE conservative Associated Labor Union, allied with the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), has accepted the 5-peso daily wage increase for Negros Oriental set by the Cebu-based Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.
ALU-TUCP District Officer Felizardo Calimpong said that although the wage increase is just miniscule compared to the skyrocketing increases of prices of basic commodities and other necessities, there is no other way but to accept the existing wage increase rate.
The increase is far below the amount suggested in the earlier petition of ALU-TUCP for a P75 wage increase and the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno's P125 across the board hike.
The labor leader added that the 5-peso increase is better than nothing at all.
An official of the Department of Labor said that the wage increase would take effect on November 11 for all employees.
Dole official clarified there are no establishments and institutions exempted from the implementation of the new wage hike.
With the recent developments, he said his department would conduct surprise inspections of the different firms and establishments to check if they implemented the increase of salaries for their employees.
The labor official is confident that the employers will be willing to implement the five-peso wage increase order from the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.
