TUCP TO FILE 55-PESO WAGE INCREASE IN THE NCR

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, the largest labor organization in the country, will file a P55-75 across-the-board wage petition in the National Capital Region next week.

With the continuing increases in deregulated oil prices, automatic adjustments in rates of utilities (electricity, water), and the resulting general increases in prices, among others, workers are clamoring for better wages.

“The pressing need to strengthen economic recovery and improve the living standards of workers should prompt the Regional Wage Board to exercise its wage fixing function,” says TUCP General Secretary and Former Senator Ernesto Herrera.

TUCP’s 55-peso across-the-board petition is based on the actual 4.4% increase in prices between July 2008 and December 2010 which is equivalent to P16.80, the projected 10% rise in CPI all 2011 or P40.40, and P21 or P1.00 per day, for every year since 1989 that there were no increases in real wages. The monetary sum of the actual and projected lost purchasing power of minimum wage earners, less the last P22 wage increase granted in July 2010 is P56.20.

Herrera, former Chair of the Senate Labor and Employment Committee says: “Workers have not raised their living standards for decades; while other sectors have accumulated more and more of the country’s incomes and wealth. Workers have done their share in improving the standards of living in the country, particularly in National Capital Region. Their own standards of living, however, have not risen. This should not continue.”

If approved, minimum wage will effectively become P459 in the National Capital Region.

“We are talking with other labor groups about this proposed petition. Once we reach an agreement, we will file this as a common labor group wage petition”, says Herrera.

The TUCP is also assessing situations in different regions and will file the appropriate wage petitions.

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RAFAEL E. MAPALO
Director for Education
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)
TUCP-PGEA Compound, Maharlika cor. Masaya Street
UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 PHILIPPINES
Tel. (+632) 9220917 Fax (+632) 9219758; (+632) 4332208
Email: tucp.education@gmail.com; secrtucp@tucp.org.ph; rafie_mapalo@yahoo..com
Website: www.tucp.org.ph