Labor group slams holiday economics

Phioto from Business World

 

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) slammed the holiday economics argument as President Bongbong Marcos issued a proclamation declaring today as a special non-working holiday. “Holiday economics makes no sense to workers. How can workers go on a holiday for P570 per day? The minimum wage is not even enough for basic necessities and is less than half the living wage of P 1,300 per day,” argued Judy Ann Miranda, secretary-general of PM.

 

She added “Government should act on the P100 wage hike demand before it goes on promoting holiday economics. According to the government’s own Ambisyon Natin 2040, the family household income should be P120,000 per month so that it can set aside P10,000 for holiday expenses—divided into P4,000 for ‘relax with family and friends’ and P6,000 for ‘occasional trips around the country.’ Given the government's inaction on the demand for a salary increase, it will take a century before the current P14,820 monthly minimum wage reaches P120,000, if at all.”

 

“In fact, even the few Filipinos who can afford to go on a holiday, cannot do so because of the last-minute announcement yesterday. Holidays are planned in advance. It seems that because BBM—who has been called out as President Ferdinand Magellan Jr. on American TV—travels and takes a vacation on a whim, he thinks others have the same privilege,” Miranda interjected.

 

PM is calling on Filipinos to join the activities today and tomorrow to commemorate the ouster of the Marcos dictatorship. Today, the Iloilo chapter of PM is joining a protest of workers, urban poor and students in Iloilo City. Tomorrow afternoon, martial law victims will assemble at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City.

 

“It is adding insult to injury when the government promotes holiday economics to workers. Workers suffer a salary cut when a non-working holiday is moved to a weekday since the no work, no pay rule applies,” Miranda explained.

 

According to PM’s calculations based on the consumer price index data of the Philippine Statistics Authority, P88 has been eroded from the P570 minimum wage in Metro Manila. Inflation outside Metro Manila is even higher. The group’s own estimate is that P1,300 is needed so that a family of five can provide for its daily cost of living.

 

“Instead of a hollow holiday economics policy, we ask the government for an Apat na Dapat policy package. First, wage hikes. Second, abolition of regressive taxes like VAT and application of progressive taxation such as a wealth tax on oligarchs and billionaires. Third, social security subsidies for informal workers. Fourth, discounts on basic commodities. These will protect and improve the wages and incomes of workers in the formal and informal economy,” Miranda elaborated.

Partido Manggagawa

February 24, 2023

Workers ask Tulfo for a legislated wage hike aside from wage setting review

 

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) welcomed the resolution of Senator Raffy Tulfo for a review of the wage setting mechanism as it also called on him to sponsor a legislated salary hike. “We could not agree more with Senator Tulfo on the need to assess the system of minimum wages which are falling behind the rapid rise of prices. But repealing RA 6727, the current law on minimum wages takes time. Thus, the imperative for immediate relief for workers through a legislated wage hike which Congress has the power to enact. We call on Senator Tulfo to lead the effort,” declared Rene Magtubo, PM national chair and a Marikina city councilor.

 

He added that “Isinusumbong ng mga manggagawa ang P100 across-the-board nationwide legislated wage hike at umaasa ng aksyon mula sa itinuturing nilang idol sa Senado. We call on Senator Tulfo to fight for workers who look up to him.”

 

PM has demanded from Congress a P100 wage hike amidst runaway inflation. Using the latest consumer price index data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the group calculated that P88 has been eroded from the P570 minimum wages of Metro Manila workers as of the January inflation of 8.7%. Inflation in areas outside of the National Capital Region is even higher.

 

“We call on the labor movement to link up arms to win war, that is to fight for a wage increase for wage recovery. The working class needs champions in and out of Congress but only unity and action of workers can defeat the resistance of employers to a wage hike,” Magtubo explained.

 

PM also called on Senator Tulfo to consider the long-standing demand for the abolition of the regional wage boards which discriminate against workers outside Metro Manila. “Instead, we demand a National Wage Commission with the power to adjust wages on the basis of price increases and productivity growth. Even before the recent inflation, wages have stagnated amidst a decade and half of 50% rise in labor productivity. This means that employers have monopolized economic growth and workers have been left behind.”

 

“Further, a review of wage setting goes beyond minimum salaries. We are proposing a policy package called Apat na Dapat. First, wage hikes. Second, abolition of regressive taxes like VAT and application of progressive taxation such as a wealth tax on oligarchs and billionaires. Third, social security subsidies for informal workers. Fourth, discounts on basic commodities. These will protect and improve the wages and incomes of workers in the formal and informal economy,” Magtubo elaborated.

Partido Manggagawa

February 17, 2023

Workers welcome DOLE review of P100 wage petition, call for tripartite talks

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma

 

The labor group Kapatiran ng mga Unyon at Samahang Manggagawa (Kapatiran) welcomed the statement by Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma that the government is reviewing the P100 wage hike petition even as it asserted that it had not been consulted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on the matter.

 

Kapatiran is asking the DOLE to immediately convene a tripartite meeting to discuss the wage increase as a response to the cost-of-living crisis. Labor Secretary Laguesma stated the other day that the DOLE is studying the wage petition and is conducting consultations.

 

“We call on Labor Secretary Laguesma to hold a tripartite meeting on the wage hike petition,” demanded Rey Almendras, president of Kapatiran and union president of the Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Labor Union.

 

He added that “As the petitioner for the P100 wage increase in the National Capital Region (NCR) wage board, Kapatiran expects to be among the groups consulted. Unless Secretary Laguesma is only holding dialogues with employers not workers. Especially since he seemed very concerned that the government needs to do a balancing act over the wage hike demand. Why is it that the government is overly worried about the capacity to pay of employers and not the capacity to buy of workers?”

 

Kapatiran filed a petition for a P100 minimum wage hike at the NCR wage board on December 6, 2022. The group argued that workers need to recover the eroded purchasing power of wages. “Kapatiran calls on other labor groups to link up arms in order to win war—that is, wage increase for wage recovery,” declared Almendras.

 

Runaway inflation has already cut P88 from the P570 minimum wage of NCR workers according to a computation by Partido Manggagawa (PM) based on the latest consumer price index data of the Philippine Statistics Authority. Inflation in January this year rose to 8.7%, much higher than the 8.1% in December.

 

“We call for a new round of wage hikes to recover the lost purchasing power of workers not just in Metro Manila but in the whole country due to the surge in inflation. The P33 minimum wage hike in June 2022 has been effectively wiped out by runaway inflation and workers’ real wages have pushed back even further,” asserted Rene Magtubo, PM national chair and a city councilor of Marikina.

 

The group clarified that the wage hike demand is merely wage recovery. “We are not yet even talking of workers claiming a just share in the fruits of their labor. From 2001 to 2016, real wages stagnated but labor productivity increased by 50% and the GDP doubled,” Magtubo maintained.

February 13, 2023

Kapatiran ng mga Unyon at Samahang Manggagawa

NCR workers suffered P88 wage cut as of January

Photo from ABS-CBN

 

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) stated that P88 has been eroded from the P570 minimum wage in Metro Manila as a result of the continuous rise in prices. “We call for a new round of wage hikes to recover the lost purchasing power of workers not just in Metro Manila but in the whole country due to the surge in inflation. We call on Congress to legislate a P100 across-the-board salary increase for all workers as relief from the shock of rising prices,” declared Rene Magtubo, PM national chair and a city councilor of Marikina.

 

Inflation in January 2023 reached 8.7%, slightly higher than the 8.1% in December. The December inflation figure was the highest recorded since December 2008, which was in the context of the onset of the global financial crisis. Notably, inflation is higher in areas outside Metro Manila. The consumer price index for January 2023 in Metro Manila was 118.2 while areas outside it was 122.3 according to statistical tables released today by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). PM’s demand for a wage hike is based on a computation by the group using the PSA data.

 

“The P570 minimum wage in NCR is actually just worth P482 by December 2022. P88 has been shaved off the real value of the minimum wage. Meaning, not only has the P33 minimum wage hike in June 2022 been effectively wiped out by runaway inflation, workers’ real wages have pushed back even further,” Magtubo explained.

 

He insisted that “Thus, we reiterate the call we made in May 2022—before the recent round of minimum wage hikes in June 2022 by different regional wage boards—for a P100 wage increase. This should be for all workers, not just those at the minimum salary level, since all have suffered from wage erosion.”

 

The group clarified that the wage hike demand is merely wage recovery. “We are not yet even talking of workers claiming a just share in the fruits of their labor. From 2001 to 2016, real wages stagnated but labor productivity increased by 50% and the GDP doubled,” Magtubo maintained.

 

“Of course, employers will again create horror scenarios of closures and bankruptcy against the workers' demand for a wage hike. They will cry that they are suffering from the economic crisis even though they monopolized the gains of the decade and half-long business boom. Not only does the government owe workers due to unabated inflation but also employers are obligated to share the wealth created by the labor of the working class,” Magtubo expounded. 

February 7, 2023

Partido Manggagawa