Workers to join 3-day vax drive

MANILA, Philippines — To have as many workers as possible inoculated during the three-day national vaccination campaign, the country’s largest labor group is seeking accessible vaccination sites.

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesman Alan Tanjusay said several workers are expected to participate in the government’s vaccination program.

“We are preparing for the mass vaccination from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1. Our workers really need to be vaccinated,” Tanjusay said at a press briefing yesterday.

He said vaccination facilities should be accessible to workers so they would not be discouraged from getting inoculated.

Tanjusay, however, urged the government to exempt workers who have underlying medical conditions, which prevent them from getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

He said the vaccination should be mandatory only for those eligible.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire expressed hope that the government would be able to inoculate 15 million Filipinos during the national vaccination days.

The Department of Health will deploy around 30,000 teams that will man 10,000 vaccination sites.

Wage hike

Meanwhile, despite the reopening of businesses and the rising prices of essential commodities, workers are not seeking a wage increase, Tanjusay said.

The TUCP is assessing the situation and sees no need to file a petition for a salary increase at this time, he said.

Tanjusay said the decision of the TUCP would depend on the country’s economic situation by next year.

According to Tanjusay, the capacity of employers to grant a wage hike is among the considerations being studied by the labor group in filing a petition before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB).

The RTWPBs in Metro Manila and Calabarzon dismissed petitions for salary increase filed by the labor group last year.

Tanjusay, however, said the minimum wage nationwide has been stagnant for almost two years.

He said the current daily minimum wage of P537 in Metro Manila is not enough due to the soaring prices of basic goods and services.

“Ang purchasing power ng minimum wage ay nasa P430 na lamang instead of P537,” he said.

Only workers from companies with trade unions have received salary adjustments because of existing collective bargaining agreements, according to Tanjusay.

He said workers are looking forward to the granting of the 13th-month pay and Christmas bonus to help them make ends meet.

“Malaking bagay para sa mga manggagawa ang 13th-month pay,” Tanjusay said as he urged employers to release the mandatory cash benefit of workers early.

He said soft loans are available to owners of small and medium enterprises who may have difficulty granting the 13th-month pay of workers.