THE labor sector representative to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) is hoping that a much higher wage increase would be granted for Western Visayas workers.
Winnie Sancho said with the continuous increase of prices of basic needs and commodities, the wage hike that takes long to be granted by the RTWPB, could no longer catch up with the prices of our basic needs.
As of this time, three wage hike petitions were filed before the RTWPB in Western Visayas at P103, P100, and P96 per day.
"The RTWPB has not yet started conducting hearings in the different parts of the region for such wage hike petitions," Sancho said.
He foresees the RTWPB in Western Visayas to grant a wage hike only at P15 to P20 per day which is way below than the ideal hike basing on the prevailing prices of foods and basic needs.
The ideal wage hike Sancho is should be at P50 to P100 per day.
During the deliberation of the wage board, Sancho pointed out that they are outnumbered because the labor sector has only two representatives while the management and the government have five representatives at the Wage Board.
Sancho further said that government representatives during the vocation could always raise their hands and break the tie or vote in favor of the employers.
He also cited the continuous increases in the prices of fuels that lead to the jacking up also of the prices of other commodities.