TUCP: Wage hike moratorium ended October last year

A labor group clarified that the one-year moratorium on wage hike petition has ended October last year.

MANILA, Philippines - Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa (TUCP-Nagkaisa) on Tuesday clarified that the one-year moratorium on wage hike petition ended October last year.

The group made the clarification after Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte last week said that the moratorium will only end on May 2015.

"The one-year moratorium ended on October 2014 not on May 2015. She is misinformed about wage increase petition and it’s unprofessional to be presidential spokesperson when you don’t know the basic and gut issues of the country. ..it’s revolting that public servants at her level keeps gives the public wrong information. She better correct this," TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said.

The labor group filed its P136 wage hike petition last January 29 this year.

When asked to comment on the wage hike petition, Valte said labor groups would have to wait for a one-year prescriptive period before they can file another wage petition because the last increase was given on May 2014.

Last week, the Regional Wages and Productivity Board convened and conducted a first of three public consultation on the petition filed by TUCP for a P136 hike on the minimum wage.

The current minimum wage in Metro Manila is P466 but due to the spate of increase in basic social services and commodities, its real value is at P356.64, the TUCP said. - By Dennis Carcamo (philstar.com)