TUCP calls on wage boards to obey signals from Malacañang; asks wage boards to take into account effects of VAT and transport fare hike

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) today called on regional wage boards to follow instructions from “higher ups” and start the ball rolling for the issuance of wage orders.

The TUCP Stressed that the wage boards will do workers a lot of good if they do not wait for trade union organizations to file wage petitions.

“We welcome the statement of support from Malacañang and this should be enough to knock the regional wage boards out of their slumber and immediately start deliberations on appropriate increases in the salaries of wage earners,” TUCP said.

Malacañang, through Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio Bunye, yesterday supported calls of TUCP for wage increases. Bunye appealed to employers to give in to demands of the labor sector for a wage hike to enable working families cope with rapidly rising costs of living. It was the first time that Malacañang openly endorsed calls for salary hikes.

TUCP stressed that under the Wage Rationalization Act the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) are empowered to act on their own even in the absence of any wage petition to undertake review and issue corresponding wage orders.

The last wage hike in the National Capital Region was issued June Last year. Other regional wage boards issued their respective wage orders afterwards. The wage orders were borne out of petitions filed by the TUCP and its allied organizations.

The TUCP-affiliated National Congress of Unions in the Sugar in the Philippines (NACUSIP) filed a P100 in Region 6 two weeks ago.

The TUCP, however, called on the wage boards to take into consideration possible increases in prices that will be brought by the implementation of the expanded-value-added tax and the transport fare hike.

The TUCP said the two will substantially hike and the prices of goods and services and may eat up wage adjustments under wage orders.