ECOP wants wage hike moratorium

MANILA, Philippines – Businessmen are calling for a deferment for any wage increase this year, citing the slowdown in global demand.

Edgardo Lacson, president of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), urged the Aquino administration to focus on job generation instead of considering proposals for a minimum wage increase.

Lacson said businessmen are just starting to recover from the slowdown in global demand.

“Why is the government focusing on protecting the privileged few who have jobs?”

Lacson said.

“The government must find ways to give more people access to employment and to not increase the minimum wage,” he said.

Lacson said the government should focus on helping the ten million unemployed or underemployed Filipinos.

Lacson said minimum wage earners are already receiving fiscal benefits for two years, plus an additional tax exemption.

“Given this, there is no need to give them additional benefits. There should be no more increases in the minimum wage until the end of the year,” Lacson stressed.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz earlier called on employers to follow the minimum wage law after receiving several complaints.

“This is a feedback hard to ignore,” Baldoz said, citing a report of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Call Center showing that most of the workers who called up the DOLE hotline have been inquiring about minimum wages and calling on employers to comply with the law.

An average of 238 workers are calling up the DOLE hotline everyday from Monday to Saturday during the first six months of 2010.

Baldoz said that out of the average number of daily callers, 66 percent or 158 have inquired on labor standards and social protection, particularly on the minimum wage law, wage distortion, and rules and regulations implementing wage orders.

Baldoz reminded employers of their moral responsibility to provide workers what is due them, not only in accordance with the law, but also in accordance with the principles of decency and uprightness.

“Employers who provide just wages and benefits gain more as their workers tend to be happy and, thus, more productive and efficient at work,” she said.

A total of 24,591, or an average of 158 daily, were callers inquiring on minimum wage orders.

There were also queries on other labor standards, such as retirement pay and computation on holidays, rest day premium, overtime, and night differentials.

Other callers inquired on employment and manpower development, labor relations, and contact details of various DOLE offices, bureaus, and attached agencies. –Elisa Osorio (The Philippine Star)