By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — National Federation of Labor Unions (NAFLU) national president and Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement or KMU) national Vice-chairperson Joselito Ustarez said that the Regional Tripartite and Wage Productivity Board (RTWPB) will be more useless under the new two-tiered wage system (2tws).

Ustarez who was the guest speaker during the 25th general assembly of the Union of Faculty and Employees of Saint Louis University (UFESLU) at the SLU Burgos Gymnassium explained that the wage system is the newest scheme of the government to the delight of the employers and greedy businessmen to suppressing the workers’ right to decent living. He said that this should be exposed and opposed the soonest amidst the continuous rising of prices of basic commodities.

Under the 2tws, Ustarez said that there will be a floor wage for the workers that will be based on the poverty threshold of their respective regions. For instance, he explained, if the government will declare that the poverty threshold of the Cordillera Region is P200 a day, then the daily minimum wage of non-agricultural sector which is P280 may be adjusted to P250-P260.

The labor leader said the second tier is that wage increase will depend on the productivity of the company. According to Ustarez, the employers can use the productivity issue not to raise at all the wages of their employees. He cited his experience as an industrial workers for 29 years. He said that in their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the company, they will have an appraisal based on the productivity of the company but their boss did never admit that his company had high productivity.

“Wala pa akong alam na mga kapitalista na nagsabing kumikita ng malaki ang kanilang kumpanya at pumapayag silang itaas ang suweldo ng mga mangggawa,” (I have not heard of capitalists saying that their companies accumulated high profits therefore agreeing to raise their workers’ salaries) Ustarez said.

According to Ustarez, there will be no wage hike for five months. The wage boards will not entertain any petition for wage increases.

Ustarez said they are still seeking the passage of the House Bill 375 proposed by Anakpawis Party List Representative Rafael Mariano seeking a P125 nationwide increase to the minimum wage. He said the wage hike demand is already long overdue, it was being demanded by the workers in the late 1990’s and was proposed by the late Bayan Muna Party List Representative Crispin Beltran.

“Ang kailangan natin ay isang nakakabuhay na pagtaas ng sahod at hindi mga mapanlinlang na mga polisiya tulad ng 2tws,” (We need is an essential wage increase and not deceitful policies like the 2tws) said Ustarez. # nordis.net