LABOR WATCH
NORDIS WEEKLY
January 30, 2005

 

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KMU-Cordi assails wage board for being anti-workers

BAGUIO CITY, (January 27, 2005) — The Kilusang Mayo-Uno (KMU-Cordillera) assailed the National Wage and Productivity Commission (NWPC) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) anew because of its continuous bias against workers.

KMU-Cordillera spokesperson James Tulipa criticized the position paper on the proposed P125 across-the-board-salary increase for minimum wage earners submitted to the committee of labor and employment by the NWPC. Tulipa said that the NWPC’s existence is a big irony because “They (NWPC) set priorities according to how well they impress foreign investors and big businessmen while leaving the impoverished workers behind,” Tulipa told NORDIS.

Tulipa also commented on Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas’ statement about the conduct of public hearings regarding the P125 wage increase. He said that the congressional deliberation on the P125 wage increase is long overdue as the workers have been clamoring for additional salary for so many years. He said that the DOLE, and specifically the NWPC seldom initiates public hearings regarding wage increases and if they did, only listened to the side of business owners or employers who claim that granting wage hikes renders them big losses and probable closure.

“Of course no businessman will ever admit that he is gaining and will always say that he cannot afford to give such increases.” Tulipa stressed. # Aldwin Quitasol for NORDIS


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