THE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) 7 will conduct two public hearings this month to get the sentiment of the labor sector on the proposal to integrate the P13 cost-of-living allowance (Cola) in the basic wage.
RTWPB 7 labor sector representative Jose Tomungha said that the hearings are set on Oct. 13 in Bohol and Oct. 14 in Cebu City.
Tomungha said that RTWPB 7 will deliberate the inputs from the participants and the result of the public hearings on Oct. 15 and 21.
Tomungha said that the labor coalitions in Cebu are also now conducting research on the amount of the wage increase that could be filed by the workers in May 2015.
He said May 2015 is just seven months away that’s why it is appropriate to start the research now.
Early this year, the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) filed a petition for a P90 across-the-board wage increase, while the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) wanted an increase of P132 per day.
The regional wage board, however, only granted a P13 Cola for workers that dismayed Tomungha and other labor sector representative, lawyer Ernesto Carreon.
RTWPB 7 is co-chaired by the director of the Department of Labor and Employment 7 and the director of the Department of Trade and Industry.
The RTWPB 7 members who also voted for the Cola are the director of the National Economic and Development Authority 7 and two representatives of the management sector.
With the P13 Cola on top of the P327 basic wage, the total minimum compensation now of a minimum wage worker is P340.
The decision of RTWPB 7 was affirmed by the National Wage Commission and it took effect last March 21, 15 days after it was published in a newspaper of general circulation last March 6.
Tomungha said that unlike Cola, which can be removed from the payroll anytime, a basic pay is permanent under the labor law. - By Elias O. Baquero / SunStar
No comments:
Post a Comment