Public servants push for pay hike

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Officers and representatives of unions, organizations and associations of government employees from different departments and offices vowed to continue their lobby for an increase to their minimum monthly salary through petitions, and activities to gather support for the cause.

On the theme “Makabuluhang dagdag sahod, ipaglaban! Presyo Ibaba, ngayon na! ( Fight for substantial wage increase! Lower the prices now!), the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) and the Association of City Employees of Baguio (Ace) held a Forum at the Baguio City Multipurpose Hall of the Baguio City Hall Wednesday, 15 June.

Courage – Cordillera Administrative Region Chapter Executive Committee Auditor, Connie Evangelista explained to the participants the importance of arriving at a unified goal to push forward the welfare of the workers in the government sector.

According to Evangelista, government employees like the workers in the private sector also have reason to ask for a salary increase. The rank-and-file public workers receive meager salaries barely enough to support a decent living.

She challenged the participants not to be content to simply attending meetings for government employees but also to be active in upholding the struggle for a substantial minimum pay hike. Not only because it is their right but as an obligation to their families and their colleagues to achieved their demands.

Courage National President Ferdinand Gaite discussed the current situation of public servants and their present campaigns. With power point presentations, Gaite explained that government employees still face the same problems of low salary, non-representation degradation, and similar issues that make life hard.

Many presidents come and gone, he said, yet they fail to look at the welfare of government employees who work hard under their administrations.

Just like the other low wage earners, Gaite said, public servants are always deprived of a living wage, security of tenure and the political right to organize themselves into unions and have a Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) with the government.

Gaite said, government workers led by Courage have launched a signature campaign for the passage of House Bill 3746 for P6, 000 to be added to the minimum salary of government workers. It is authored by Anakpawis Partylist Representative Rafael Mariano.

Gaite hopes that the petition will draw support from lawmakers like Sarangani Representative and boxing champ Manny Pacquiao who recently expressed his support to the HB 375 or the P125 wage increase for the workers in the private sector and Senator Ramon Revilla. He told the participants at the forum to adopt the said petition and get the support of their respective congressmen.

Gaite advised government employees not to get only the nod and thumbs-up of their congressmen but ensure that they will endorse the said petition in congress to add force to the demand to pass HB 3746. # nordis.net