FOR Negros Occidental-based labor group General Alliance of Workers Associations (Gawa), Filipinos were greeted by oil price hikes in 2020.
Its secretary general Wennie Sancho said the implementation of the last tranche of excise tax on gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will be followed by increases in the prices of oil.
Consequently, increases in the prices of basic goods and services shall follow, Sancho said.
Amid the increases on petroleum product cost, the transport sector had already expressed intention to file a consolidated petition for fare hike nationwide within this month.
“The extra-ordinary increases in petroleum products, basic goods and services, will trigger a supervening condition that shall compel organized labor to file a petition for another round of wage increase before the regional wage boards,” he said.
“This is to protect the erosion of their purchasing power,” the labor leader added.
It can be recalled that a P15 to P30 pay hike for private sector workers in Western Visayas took effect just in November 27 last year.
Under Wage Order No. 25, a P30 daily pay hike is provided for workers among non-agriculture, industrial and commercial establishments employing more than 10 employees.
From the current P350 plus cost of living allowance (Cola) of P15, totaling to P365 per day, the new rate is P395.
Employees from establishments with less than 10 workers are getting an additional of P15, making the new wage rate P310 per day.
For the agricultural sector, plantation workers are receiving a P20 increase. So from the current P295 per day, the new minimum wage rate under this sector is P315.
Sancho, also the labor representative to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) – Western Visayas, said the year 2020 will be another year of the workers to demand not only for wage increase.
“We will demand for a living wage for the workers and their family to have a decent standard of living,” he added.