The country’s largest labor group debunked yesterday the claim of foreign and local businessmen that increasing the minimum wage would result in mass layoffs and closure of companies.
“This will not happen in the Philippines because those who cannot afford the minimum wage rate can be exempted by law from applying the rate,” TUCP executive vice president Gerard Seno said yesterday in reaction to the warning issued by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP).
Seno said employers are heartless for ignoring the condition of workers.
The ECOP and the JFC urged the wage boards to dismiss TUCP’s petition for wage increase. The TUCP filed separate petitions for an increase in the daily minimum wage of workers in Metro Manila by P85 and from P80 to P88 for workers in other regions.
Seno said workers are suffering from rising electricity rates and gas prices. He also cited the impending hike in Social Security System premiums and the Metrorail Transit and Light Railway Transit fares.
“The response to dismiss the petition outright tends to show the top leadership of ECOP and JFC is losing touch with reality and utterly disregarding the economic difficulties being experienced by thousands of Filipino minimum wage earners,” Seno said.
He said it is also unfair to compare the wage rate in the Philippines with those in other countries in Southeast Asia since workers operate in varying political and economic circumstances and procedures.
He said the P456 daily minimum wage in Metro Manila has significantly eroded and is way below the living wage needed to survive in the highly urbanized region.
Seno said JFC and ECOP’s claim would not discourage workers from seeking a wage increase.
TUCP president Democrito Mendoza said they support the business groups’ campaign against smuggling and red tape and the call to bring down the cost of electricity.
However, Mendoza said, the group remains firm in its position to seek an immediate wage hike.
TUCP also called on the different wage boards to objectively focus on efforts to restore the workers’ lost purchasing power and ignore the call of the employers to dismiss the petition for wage hike.
The wage board in Metro Manila is set to hold today a public hearing on the TUCP’s petition for wage increase.
Meanwhile, workers belonging to the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno staged a mass action to push for a P125 legislated wage increase and to abolish the wage boards. — Philippine Star With Michelle Zoleta
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
NAGKAISA Pre-SONA Rally in Ayala Makati
The NAGKAISA! calls the President to address the imbalance of the rich and the poor and eliminate inequality. Kilusan TUCP joined the NAGKAISA! in the mobilization staged in the country's main business center and the Philippine Stock Exchange in Ayala ave, Makati City , July 18, 2013. STOP INEQUALITY!
Monday, May 20, 2013
SSS coverage for workers in wellness spa, beauty salon, fitness gym sought
A lawmaker is determined to shepherd a measure mandating the compulsory inclusion of thousands of barbers, haircutters or hairstylists, manicurists or pedicurists, make-up artists or beauty professionals, masseuse, reflexologists or therapists and gym trainers, fitness instructors or dieticians in the coverage of the Social Security System (SSS).
Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza (Party-list, TUCP) is hopeful that the proposal, which removes the workers in wellness spas, beauty salons and fitness gyms from the category of self-employed, will ultimately be enacted into law in the next Congress.
The proposal is contained in House Bill 1558, which was authored by Mendoza. It is pending in the House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization.
In pushing for the proposal, Mendoza noted the recent growth of wellness centers, which, more often than not, are an amalgamation of beauty and grooming salons, fitness gyms, spas and massage parlors and other interrelated services.
Mendoza said these workers lease the facilities of the centers and bring their own set of clients. Their compensation or payment is based on a per head basis and they earn a commission or share in the payments due their clients.
He added that they are not required to observe office hours or report to the company every day. They are not devoting their time exclusively for one company and are free to work on any other wellness facility, or engage in any other employment.
"One of the predicaments of these workers is their membership in the SSS. With the above-mentioned arrangement, they are considered as self-employed. Thus, they pay their entire SSS membership dues and there is no one to pay the heftier employer counterpart," Mendoza said.
According to Mendoza, the vision of the measure is to compel owners of the wellness center, barbershop, salon, spa, massage parlor, fitness gym or any other similar entity to which they are affiliated or regularly report to render their services which are considered as their employer to deduct and withhold from the concerned person's average monthly commissions, earnings, compensation or payment, his/her employee's contribution, as well as pay for and remit the counterpart employer's contribution.
"By doing this, these persons would be able to continue being an active SSS member and reap the benefits, while still working or upon their retirement," Mendoza stressed.
The measure amends Section 9-A of Republic Act 1161, as amended, otherwise known as the “Social Security Law,” by compulsory including, irrespective of the contractual arrangement of their non-recognition as employees, or of the kind or source of the commissions, earnings, compensation or payment for their services, barbers, haircutters or hairstylists; manicurists or pedicurists; make-up artists; masseuse, reflexologists or therapists and gym trainers, fitness instructors or dieticians, and shall not be considered under the category of self-employed.
"The State affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare. The social security of workers in the wellness centers, beauty and grooming salons, fitness gyms, spas and massage parlors, and other interrelated services should always be protected and promoted," Mendoza said. - Lorelei V. Castillo, Media Relations Service-PRIB
Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza (Party-list, TUCP) is hopeful that the proposal, which removes the workers in wellness spas, beauty salons and fitness gyms from the category of self-employed, will ultimately be enacted into law in the next Congress.
The proposal is contained in House Bill 1558, which was authored by Mendoza. It is pending in the House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization.
In pushing for the proposal, Mendoza noted the recent growth of wellness centers, which, more often than not, are an amalgamation of beauty and grooming salons, fitness gyms, spas and massage parlors and other interrelated services.
"The industry is the bread and butter of thousands of workers in wellness spas, beauty salons and fitness gyms. Most of these are 'experts' in their individual fields who have undergone professional training. However, in most instances, the services of these persons are merely outsourced by the wellness centers. They are not employed but are treated as independent contractors," Mendoza said.
Mendoza said these workers lease the facilities of the centers and bring their own set of clients. Their compensation or payment is based on a per head basis and they earn a commission or share in the payments due their clients.
He added that they are not required to observe office hours or report to the company every day. They are not devoting their time exclusively for one company and are free to work on any other wellness facility, or engage in any other employment.
"One of the predicaments of these workers is their membership in the SSS. With the above-mentioned arrangement, they are considered as self-employed. Thus, they pay their entire SSS membership dues and there is no one to pay the heftier employer counterpart," Mendoza said.
According to Mendoza, the vision of the measure is to compel owners of the wellness center, barbershop, salon, spa, massage parlor, fitness gym or any other similar entity to which they are affiliated or regularly report to render their services which are considered as their employer to deduct and withhold from the concerned person's average monthly commissions, earnings, compensation or payment, his/her employee's contribution, as well as pay for and remit the counterpart employer's contribution.
"By doing this, these persons would be able to continue being an active SSS member and reap the benefits, while still working or upon their retirement," Mendoza stressed.
The measure amends Section 9-A of Republic Act 1161, as amended, otherwise known as the “Social Security Law,” by compulsory including, irrespective of the contractual arrangement of their non-recognition as employees, or of the kind or source of the commissions, earnings, compensation or payment for their services, barbers, haircutters or hairstylists; manicurists or pedicurists; make-up artists; masseuse, reflexologists or therapists and gym trainers, fitness instructors or dieticians, and shall not be considered under the category of self-employed.
"The State affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare. The social security of workers in the wellness centers, beauty and grooming salons, fitness gyms, spas and massage parlors, and other interrelated services should always be protected and promoted," Mendoza said. - Lorelei V. Castillo, Media Relations Service-PRIB
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Solon seeks increased separation pay for employees terminated due to disease
A lawmaker is seeking an increase of separation pay of workers given the pink slip due to sickness.
Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza (Party-list, TUCP) said employees terminated due to disease should be treated with compassion and differently from other causes.
Mendoza cited Article 283 of the Labor Code of the Philippines which states that the employer may terminate employment or reduce the total number of personnel due to installation of labor saving devices, among others.
"On the other hand, Article 284 of the Labor Code of the Philippines or Presidential Decree No. 442 allows termination on the ground of disease," he said.
Mendoza said in all the said instances of authorized causes of termination, the separation pay ranges from payment of half (1/2) month to one-month salary for every year of service.
House Bill 893 seeks the increase of separation pay of employees terminated due to disease to at least six months salary or two months salary for every year of service, whichever is greater.
Likewise, the bill institutionalizes the issuance of a certification by a competent public health authority that the disease is of such nature or at such stage that it cannot be cured within a period of six months even with proper medical treatment before an employee can be terminated for this cause.
The bill further mandates that should the employee terminated on such ground regain his health, he shall be entitled to his former position without loss of seniority. - Ma. Victoria I. Palomar, Media Relations Service
Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza (Party-list, TUCP) said employees terminated due to disease should be treated with compassion and differently from other causes.
"The reason is obvious. An employee terminated due to such a disease will no longer be able to find gainful employment as compared to those who were terminated due o redundancy and related causes," Mendoza said.
Mendoza cited Article 283 of the Labor Code of the Philippines which states that the employer may terminate employment or reduce the total number of personnel due to installation of labor saving devices, among others.
"On the other hand, Article 284 of the Labor Code of the Philippines or Presidential Decree No. 442 allows termination on the ground of disease," he said.
Mendoza said in all the said instances of authorized causes of termination, the separation pay ranges from payment of half (1/2) month to one-month salary for every year of service.
House Bill 893 seeks the increase of separation pay of employees terminated due to disease to at least six months salary or two months salary for every year of service, whichever is greater.
Likewise, the bill institutionalizes the issuance of a certification by a competent public health authority that the disease is of such nature or at such stage that it cannot be cured within a period of six months even with proper medical treatment before an employee can be terminated for this cause.
The bill further mandates that should the employee terminated on such ground regain his health, he shall be entitled to his former position without loss of seniority. - Ma. Victoria I. Palomar, Media Relations Service
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