LABOR groups are now demanding additional allowances, grants, and a new round of wage hikes in response to government’s alleged failure to address high inflation.
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Vice President Luis Corral said they are now just waiting for the first quarter inflation data before filing their wage petitions nationwide next month.
The data, he said, will be used to ensure their proposed pay hike “will be actionable and reasonable for both workers and employers.”
The labor leader said they will demand higher minimum wage rates due to what he calls a dismal government response to inflation, which reached 8.7 percent in January, particularly for food and electricity.
“Our previous position is it [wage hike] might be inflationary so let us look at non wage measures, but right now they [the government] are not addressing the non-wage issues that are confrontable and solvable in a very real way,” Corral said in a phone interview.
He said they were waiting for authorities to go after smugglers and hoarders to bring down the prices of food items and for the Department of Energy (DOE) to impose a policy to cut down power rates.
TUCP also called on the regional wage boards to grant minimum wage earners an emergency cost of living allowance (ECOLA) to address the urgent needs of vulnerable workers pending the new round of wage hikes.
It said the ECOLA should be sufficient to offset the effect of inflation on the nominal value of minimum wage rates.
Another government intervention to provide support for workers amid the rising cost of living, the labor group said, is a one-time P5,000 cash aid for 4 million minimum wage earners.
The Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) also echoed TUCP’s call for wage hikes and cash grants, citing the recent decision of the Senate to raise its inflation aid for its employees from P12,000 to P50,000.
“We would like to emphasize that inflationary pressures are felt across Philippine society. If we can spare resources to shield our legislative staff, why can’t the same be said for the rest of the public sector, as well as those working in the private sector,” SENTRO said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Image credits: Roy Domingo