WAGE HIKE. Two workers work on steel bridges of the Metro Rail Transit - 7 in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City in this June 7, 2024 photo. Labor group Unity for Wage Increase Now (UWIN) on Wednesday (July 10, 2024) asked the NCR wage board to reconsider its bid of a PHP597 wage increase, to make the daily minimum wage rate in the region to PHP1,207. (PNA file photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)
MANILA – A labor group on Wednesday filed an appeal before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) to reconsider its bid of a PHP597 wage increase, to make the daily minimum pay rate in Metro Manila PHP1,207.
"Wherefore, premises considered, it is respectfully prayed for the NCR-Regional Wage Board to consider its July 1, 2024 declaration and declare for the living wage in the region as prayed for by the petitioner. The said July 1, 2024 declaration of the new minimum (wage rate) in the region was marred by tantamount abuse of discretion on the member of Regional Wage Board," the Unity for Wage Increase Now (UWIN) said in its memorandum of appeal.
The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board - National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) approved a PHP35 hike in the daily salary of minimum wage earners in Metro Manila.
Wage Order No. NCR-25 was signed on June 27, published on July 1 and will take effect 15 days after its publication.
"The additional P35 increase in the minimum wage is an insult and disgrace to what the workers have sacrificed and endure in contributing to the economy of the country," the labor group added.
Likewise, UWIN questioned the NCR wage board for using the 2021 poverty threshold of the Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA) as basis in coming out with the latest wage order.
"It might be that in the last hearing of the petition on June 20, 2024, there is already a planned decision of PHP35.00 considering that the said decision was based on three years ago (2021) data of the Philippine Statistic Authority," said the petitioner. (PNA)
