THE labor sector is asking the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas for economic indicators needed to file a petition for wage increase among private sector workers in the region.
Wennie Sancho, labor representative to the RTWPB Region 6, said they will discuss the filing of wage hike petition during the regular monthly meeting of the Wage Board in Iloilo City on Friday, May 31.
Sancho, also the secretary general of General Alliance of Workers Association (Gawa), said the labor sector should have its economic indicators as well, which should not be contrary to that of the government.
“Using their data, we will rebut if they have economic indicators that are not favorable for wage increase,” he added.
Labor groups in the province earlier announced that they are eyeing to file a wage increase of up to P100 per day, higher than the initial plan of P73 per day.
The P73 is based on their initial computation of real wage of P301.65 plus the P10 worth of accumulated increases in the prices of petroleum products.
Given a nominal wage or the actual salary rate of P365, the real wage or the purchasing power of the workers is only P301.65. Thus, there is a need to restore P63.35 per day, they added.
However, they noted that there are other factors that will have to be considered like the cost of electricity and water so the increase should be higher.
Sancho said they are keen on filing a formal petition for wage increase in June this year, a month before the expiration of Wage Order No. 24 in July.
On July 12 last year, minimum wage earners in Western Visayas started receiving an additional pay of P13.50 to P41.50 per day, a month after Wage Order No. 24 was signed by the members of the Board on June 11.
Under the existing order, new minimum wage rates in the region which include the cost of living allowance (Cola) are P295 and P365 per day.
Unlike the previous order, it provided only two wage rates depending on various classifications or categories.
Workers in the non-agriculture, industrial and commercial establishments employing more than 10 employees are receiving a minimum wage of P365 per day.
From the previous P323.50, the RTWPB-6 came up with an increase of P26.50 on basic wage plus a Cola of P15. All in all, the increase in this classification was P41.50.
Those employing 10 workers and below, the existing wage rate is P295 from only P271.50. It was derived from an increase of P18.50 plus a Cola of P5, or a total of P23.50.
For agriculture sector, plantation workers received P8.50 increase and Cola of P5, thus, the existing wage rate is P295. This is P13.50 higher than the previous rate of P281.50.
Those in non-plantations, the existing wage rate is also P295 from the previous P271.50 due to a basic wage increase of P18.50 and P5 worth of Cola, or a total of P23.50.
“After our Wage Board meeting on Friday, we will then meet with other labor groups to craft the final wage hike petition,” he said, reiterating that "there should a wage increase this year."