OPPOSITION and support flooded the last public hearing conducted by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-6) Western Visayas on the petition for a wage increase for private sector workers in the region.
During the hearing held at the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole-6) Provincial Office in Bacolod City Thursday, May 10, both the labor and management sectors aired their respective takes on the proposed adjustment in daily minimum wage.
The Philippine Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Workers Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Paciwu-TUCP), in its petition filed before the RTWPB-6 on January 22, asked for a P130 to P150 increase depending on the worker's classification.
The labor group wants a daily increase of P150 for non-agriculture, industrial, and commercial establishments employing more than 10 workers.
For those with less than 10 employees, the proposed increase was pegged at P130.
Under the petition, agricultural plantations with an area of more than 24 hectares should provide a P140 daily increase.
Those with an area of less than 24 hectares, an additional P130 is proposed.
For the Confederation of Sugar Producers (Confed), they have no capacity to give such increase amid the recent problems hounding the sugar industry.
Herman Santos, manager of Confed, said sugar planters were greatly affected by the low prices of sugar within the last two years especially during the height of the issue on the entry of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in the country.
Though the prices have increased now, Santos said they can no longer enjoy it as it is already closed season for milling.
"Where shall we get the desired increase of the labor sector?," he asked, proposing that what they can only provide is a P10 to P15 cost of living allowance (Cola) two months after the start of milling season in September.
Supporting the stand of Confed, the Bacolod Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BFCCI), said that the increase should only be within the capacity of the employers.
Like the sugar producers group, BFCCI Director Lawyer Manuel Ong said they will submit their final proposal on or before the May 21 deadline.
Edward Gasambelo, vice president of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), said the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council has a consensus increase of only P20 with intention mainly to recover the cost of inflation.
The figure, however, is different from the proposal of MBCCI, at P10 to P31 inclusive of Cola worth P5, Gasambelo said.
"These are just proposals. Though we have our respective stand, it would still depend on the Wage Board," he added.
Labor sector, on the other hand, remained firm on their push for a higher wage increase.
Paciwu-TUCP's Noel Alisin, also the president of employees union of Riverside Medical Center, said the petitioned amount of increase is necessary for the restoration of the public's purchasing power affected by the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law.
Like other labor group representatives present during the public hearing, Alisin said the tax reform law has been hurting the workers and consumers particularly through higher prices of the commodity.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), National Federation of Sugar Workers, and a women group are also backing the proposed increase of up to P150.
Noly Rosales, secretary general of KMU-Negros, disagreed that the management sector has no capacity to provide the higher increase.
"Whatever the workers will earn will still be spent for the purchase of their needs thus, it will still go back to the businesses and employers," he added.
Wennie Sancho, secretary general of the General Alliance of Workers Association (Gawa), in his manifestation, said they are deeply concerned about the state of the workers in the private sector in Western Visayas.
"Increasing wages should be done with an emphasis on the importance of recognizing the right of labor to its just share in the fruits of production consistent with the policy of the state to afford full protection to labor," Sancho, also a labor representative to the RTWPB-6, said.
'Bloody' deliberations
RTWPB-6 Chairman Lawyer Johnson Cañete, also the regional director of Dole-6, said there is going to be "bloody" deliberations for the proposed wage increase.
Aside from those in Negros Occidental, workers and businesses in Iloilo and other provinces in Panay Island have earlier expressed different views on the matter.
Cañete said based on the four public hearings there seemed no opposition on the push for an increase, but there is disagreement on the amount.
"This is going to be a difficult assignment for us to come up with a Wage Order that could satisfy both the management and labor sector," he added.
Under the current Wage Order Number 23, which expires last March 16, the daily minimum wage rate in non-agriculture, industrial and commercial establishments employing more than 10 workers is P323.50.
For those employing less than 10 workers, the existing rate is P271.50.
Workers in the agriculture sector, meanwhile, are receiving daily minimum wages of P281.50 and P271.50 for plantation and non-plantation, respectively.
RTWPB-6 is set to conduct series of deliberations after the deadline for submission of proposals and position papers from both labor and management groups in the region.
Cañete said, though it is difficult to say, they hope to finally have a new Wage Order on June 12 during the commemoration of Independence Day.
In the bid to prevent possible economic struggle or conflict between the labor and management, Cañete said aside from being fair, the decision should be based on thorough discussion.
"We have to make sure that the wage increase given should not affect the prevailing conditions in Western Visayas," he said, reiterating that "as a Board, we do not decide in favor of just one group but of both parties."
This means that RTWPB-6 is expected to decide not purely for labor only, the management should also be considered.
Also, there should be technical supervision of the Dole and other member-agencies including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and National Economic Development Authority (Neda).
Rally
Meanwhile, members of KMU-Negros staged a protest rally at the compound of Dole-6 while the public hearing is ongoing.
They slammed the Executive Order on contractualization recently signed by President Rodrigo Duterte, claiming it as pro-capitalist and anti-workers.
The group is urging the public and other organizations in the province to unite, widen and intensify the fight against the end of contract (endo) labor scheme.