Wage board declares supervening conditions

CEBU, Philippines – The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-7 finally decided yesterday that there exists supervening conditions in the region, namely inflation and high fuel prices, which will now justify entertaining two wage hike petitions filed by two labor unions.

“Lipay gyud kaayo ang mga mamumuo ani. The declaration of the existence of supervening condition will now pave the way for entertaining the two wage hike petitions,” said Ernesto Carreon, one of the labor representatives to the wage board said.

RTWPB legal counsel Glen Tabon said that he will forward today the board resolution declaring the presence of supervening conditions to the National Wages and Productivity Commission for confirmation.

Tabon said once the said resolution is confirmed by NWPC, they will immediately conduct a public hearing about the two wage hike petitions, then the board will deliberate as to the increase they will grant.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines have filed a P100 across-the-board daily wage hike for workers in Central Visayas, while the Alliance of Progressive Labor have likewise asked for a P120 across-the-board increase in daily wages.

Carreon said that during their meeting yesterday, Charles Streegan, one of the management representatives to the board opted to abstain from voting after representatives from the National Economic Development Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry finally voted in favor of labor.

The other management representative to the board, Hedelito Pascual, was absent.

The so-called “supervening conditions” was strongly debated for the past months by the seven members of RTWPB.

Last month the RTWPB declared that there were no supervening conditions which resulted to wage hike consultations among the various stakeholders in the region.

“We are hoping that by the end of September this year, there will be a new wage order. As to how much, we do not know yet,” Carreon said.

RTWPB-7 approved a wage increase in September 2010. Under the rules, wage boards are not allowed to adjust worker’s salaries for a year after the last increase unless they find supervening conditions. (FREEMAN)