Underrepresentation worries labor sector

CEBU, Philippines -  The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Congress of the Philippines is wary that the labor sector will be in a disadvantage position should wage hike petitions will be deliberated upon by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board because the labor sector is not anymore properly represented.

Ferdinand Jumapao, ALU-TUCP director for membership and services department, said that the positions for the two labor sector representatives in the wage board have not been filled-up.

Jumapao said ALU-TUCP’s former chief legal counsel lawyer Jose Boquecosa, who was one of the labor sector representatives, has already resigned because he migrated to the U.S.

Another labor representative Marianito Ventura of the Trade Union of the Philippines and Allied Services has finished his term of office last June 30. Ventura is currently sitting in the wage board on hold-over capacity.

Jumapao said ALU-TUCP has recommended its new chief legal counsel former National Conciliation and Mediation Board Judge Ernesto Carreon to replace Boquecosa in the wage board.

The Alliance of Progressive Labor and the Public Interest and Litigation Office have also submitted their respective nominees to fill-in the post to be vacated by Ventura. The nominees are APL president Jose Tomongha and PILO project director Metudio Bellarmino Jr.

The names of the nominees have been submitted to Malacañang last year but until now it has not been acted upon.

Jumapao said that they heard that their endorsement of Carreon is already at the Office of the President.

“Naa na man daw sa office ni PNoy then wa pa may pirma dugay na,” Jumapao said.

The RTWPB is composed of two representatives each from both labor and management sectors. There are also two other government sector representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Economic Development Authority. The regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment will sit as chairman of the board.

The Cebu Labor Coalition headed by APL already filed in February 14 a petition seeking for P120 across the board wage increase in Region-7. ALU-TUCP will be filing a P75 across the board wage hike petition before May 1.  (FREEMAN)