Labor Group TUCP Continues to Push for Minimum Wage Hike
LABOR GROUP – Trade Union Congress of the Philippines refiled its petition that seeks a P470 increase on the daily minimum wage in Metro Manila.
A lot of people in the Philippines are facing financial struggles now. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the loss of jobs, the closure of companies and businesses, and the cut in the monthly income of many individuals.
Aside from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the series of oil price hikes in the country has also greatly affected a lot of Filipinos. Many public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers claim that they can hardly cope with their household expenses as the high prices of fuel take a huge cut from what they earn daily.
The increase in the prices of several basic goods also affects a lot of Filipinos. Amid the financial struggles, a labor group filed a petition seeking an increase in the daily minimum wage.
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) previously filed a petition seeking an “across-the-board” wage hike of Php 470.00. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, it was junked as the National Capital Region’s Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board stressed that they have no jurisdiction over an “across-the-board” increase on the daily minimum salary.
“Across-the-board” means the hike will be implemented for everyone regardless of their salary level. According to the report, in the petition it refiled, the labor group omitted the term “across-the-board”. TUCP President Raymond Mendoza stressed that the last time that the minimum salary was adjusted was in 2018. According to him, his group did not call for an increase in 2020 and 2021 considering the pandemic.
Mendoza further stressed that the current minimum daily wage in NCR which is Php 537.00 is below the poverty threshold in the region which is Php 640.00 daily.
“We are actually intentionally making sure that the minimum wage earners are below poverty line,” the TUCP President said.
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