No wage hike on Labor Day

Malacañang will announce a package of benefits for workers on Labor Day, but there will be no increase in the minimum wage.

Anticipating large protest rallies that yearly mark May 1, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will deploy about 14,000 policemen in Metro Manila to maintain peace and order.

Militant labor groups are set to hold rallies in different parts of the country tomorrow to press for a stop to labor contractualization and union busting, demand social safety nets for workers and call for the ouster of President Estrada.

And they plan to boycott any celebration at Malacañang where, last year, the President merely lectured to them instead of listening to their grievances, labor leaders said.

PNP chief Director General Panfilo Lacson said policemen will guard rally sites and police cars will patrol protest routes.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said there was hardly any reason for wage increases.

"We've just had the latest round of minimum wage adjustments and the prevailing policy is that such increases cannot be done more than once a year unless there is a supervening event," he said at a press conference yesterday.

Although prices of basic commodities could be cited as supervening factor, Laguesma said, there was now less reason to press for a wage increase because petroleum prices were slashed last Friday.

The President was able to persuade the country's biggest oil companies -- Pilipinas Shell, Caltex Philippines and Petron Corp. -- to cut their prices in a meeting at Malacañang last week.

Aside from a wage increase, labor groups have long been demanding the abolition of the regional tripartite wage and productivity boards (RTWPBs) in favor of legislated wage increases.

But that, Laguesma explained, was not in the hands of Malacañang. "Republic Act 7227 will have to be amended if their demands are to be granted. We are not under martial law where the President would also legislate," he said.

The wage boards set the minimum wage. But labor groups want them scrapped, complaining that the wage increases were often not enough. They have even accused the wage boards of siding with employers.

But Laguesma has a different view. "In fairness, the RTWPBs have done their task well in the last 10 years," he said.

"There are complaints that the recent wage increases are not enough, but the RTWPBs address the organized labor sector with wage adjustments and other benefits are reached in collective bargaining agreements."

Laguesma said he had a pretty good idea of what he expects to hear from workers tomorrow.

"We expect groups to again raise the issue of conspiracy between employers and the government, anti-labor policies and other matters," he said. "Some would call for the ouster of the President, and that would include me."

Laguesma said he works closely with the Department of Trade and Industry to keep prices of basic commodities down.

"Increase in the prices of basic goods leads to a clamor for new wage adjustments since the bulk of our workers are minimum wage earners," he explained.

Despite worker discontent, Laguesma said he sees a "growing maturity" among worker groups. Strikes last year only numbered 59 compared to 93 in 1998. For the past five years, the number of strikes never exceeded 100.

Laguesma said workers and management in most regions have forged written agreements to minimize disputes.

Police all over Metro Manila are on "maximum alert." Interior and Local Government Secretary Alfredo Lim has ordered the PNP to strictly observe "maximum tolerance" in dealing with protesters.

But policemen have orders to go after vandals and people lighting street bonfires, destroying property and obstructing traffic, among other illegal activities.

Lacson said riot police, firetrucks, crack SWAT policemen, soldiers and bomb experts are on standby to handle any situation. He also advised protesters to police their own ranks against saboteurs, agitators and criminals who might take advantage of the situation. He also advised them to coordinate with police authorities to ensure that the rallies remain peaceful.

The labor groups assured the police that they would hold their demonstrations as peacefully as they can.

Among the groups expected to spearhead tomorrow's rallies are the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Labor Solidarity Movement (LSM) and the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP).

LSM members, comprising reportedly 80 percent of organized labor, have chosen to march along EDSA tomorrow since the group's vice chairman Ramon Jaabar said they view the highway as "a symbol of the people's vigilance against exploitation, economic deprivation and patronage policies."

Some 30,000 BMP members, on the other hand, are expected to hold their respective celebrations in Bacolod City, Iloilo, Dumaguete and Cebu City.

KMU members, for their part, will converge in three areas: Welcome Rotunda in Quezon City, San Andres Rotunda and Blumentritt in Manila at 7 a.m. The group will later hold a program at the Liwasang Bonifacio, also in Manila.

One transport group, the Philippine Confederation of Drivers and Organizations-Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations, yesterday expressed support for the workers. But it would not stage a transport strike.