Labor group refiles wage hike petition

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Labor Coalition headed by the Alliance of Progressive Labor has refiled their P128.60 across-the-board wage hike petition for Central Visayas last week before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board.

Exequiel Sarcauga, RTWPB-7 chairman and Department of Labor and Employment-7 regional director said that the petition was filed last week.

Sarcauga said that the recently filed petition will be consolidated with the wage hike petition filed by the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines. Sarcauga said the board will meet this Thursday to discuss the two wage hike petitions.

ALU-TUCP filed a daily P100 across-the-board wage hike for workers in Central Visayas. CELAC cited eleven grounds why they sought the increase.

These are the insufficient wage increases from the past, the reduction of the purchasing power of the peso, unstable oil price, increases in the prices of basic commodities, consumer price index, inflation rate, the value of the current minimum wage of P267 has a purchasing power of only P16, R-VAT and hike in taxes, globalization effects, transportation fare increase and water and electric increases.

Sarcauga said that the February 14, 2011 wage hike petition earlier filed by CELAC was dismissed by the board for lack of basis. (FREEMAN)