WAGE HIKE RALLY ON MAY 1 LABOR DAY

P150 wage increase, workers protest (Photo courtesy of Edd Gumban/Philippine Star)

The protest action of various groups is set in conjunction with the commemoration of Labor Day on Wednesday May 1. The National Wage Coalition will contend on the immediate passage of the legislated wage hike pending in the House of Representatives.

The group consists of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, and other labor groups.

According to the Coalition, despite the increase in wages approved by the Tripartite Boards, 4 million workers are still struggling in their lives.

“Despite the recent round of wage hikes granted by the different Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards, around 4.2 million minimum wage earners are still unable to experience decent lives,” the National Wage Coalition stated.

Labor groups are pushing for the P150 across the board legislated wage hike because they say the meager wage increase approved by the wage board is not enough.

“Congress should urgently raise workers’ wages as well as review and reform the country’s minimum wage-setting mechanisms,” the group said.

“Most regional minimum wages fall below the government-set poverty threshold, thus condemning millions of minimum wage earners who do honest hard work for a living, to a life of poverty,” the group added.

On May 1, the Department of Labor and Employment and Pasay City government will held a mega job fair at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. offering more than 7,000 jobs.

Source: Philippine Star

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