No minimum wage hike by Labor Day

Metro Manila workers should not look forward to a May Day wage hike announcement as decisions on petitions filed by labor groups will take time, government officials yesterday said. Labor groups insisted on a P75 across-the-board increase -- beyond the regional wage board’s mandate of adjusting minimum wages -- at first of three scheduled consultations this month. "Based on reports from regional boards, consultations will go on until May so definitely decisions won’t be out on May 1," National Wages and Productivity Commission deputy executive director Patricia P. Hornilla told reporters. The Metro Manila wage board yesterday met with labor groups to discuss the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines’ (TUCP) petition for the P75 increase. Consultations with employers and the Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council have been scheduled for April 19 and 26. The wage board will need 45 days to decide after a final hearing on April 29, its chairman Raymundo G. Agravante said. "If you’ll calculate the number of days, the decision could come out on June 15 unless there will be supervening circumstances wherein the labor groups and management come up with a consensus," Mr. Agravante said. Labor groups claimed a wage hike should be granted as firms were reporting earnings growth. "The Philippine economy is growing and we didn’t even fall into a recession. But where does the growth go? So we’re pushing for the P75 across-the-board increase...," said Arthur F. Juego, president of TUCP affiliate the Pambansang Kilusan ng Paggawa. Employers Confederation of the Philippines corporate secretary Alberto R. Quimpo, however, said, "The wage hike [petition] is too high ... Practically speaking, we would rather see to it that we retain jobs and employment for families to have source of income rather than to lose them." - BusinessWorld