187 wage order violators found in Cordi Region

BAGUIO CITY– At least 187 employers in the region were found by labor officials in violation of the minimum wage law, thereby depriving their employees of necessary compensation.

Lawyer Ana Dione, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment in the Cordillera said non-payment of minimum wage ranks first among violations of employers in the region, particularly in urban centers and the central business district of the city.

Out of the 244 business establishments that were checked by labor inspectors in the region, around 77 percent or 187 establishments were found not to have complied with basic pay and other benefits required by law to be given to their workers.

Around 67 percent or 126 business establishments voluntarily complied with the warnings sent to them by the labor department to pay the right wages and benefits to their workers.

However, Dione revealed those who did not comply with the warnings were subsequently issued mandatory orders for compliance, and their actions are now being awaited before the agency will undertake the next move.

The regional DOLE bared 39 business establishments and companies have been issued compliance orders, but only 21 percent complied.

According to her, most of those who were not able to comply with lawful orders are reportedly small businesses with only a few employees.

The labor department has been constantly mapping delinquent employers after receiving numerous reports and complaints from laborers and employees about their experiences of unfair labor practices.

Among common violations uncovered by labor inspectors on the inspected business establishments were non-payment and under payment of minimum wages, no payment of 13th month pay, overtime and holiday compensations, and other violations of the labor code of the Philippines.

At present, the prevailing minimum wage in the Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba (BLIST) area, especially those employing more than 10 workers, is P260 per day and P240 per day for those with less than 10 workers.

Based on the report of the labor inspectors, the companies that constantly violate the minimum wage law include security agencies, retail shops, food stalls, and construction firms among others.
Service-oriented businesses are also major violators of labor standards since many of the laborers are not given contracts or security of tenure for their employment.

Last year, the labor department was able to register around 18.9 percent underemployment rate in the Cordillera since many of the laborers in the city prefer to be underemployed than not having stable jobs at all. –Dexter A. See, Northern Philippine Times