by Atty Sonny Matula, FFW President & NAGKAISA Chairperson

Manila, Philippines — The reported 25 pesos wage increase granted by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPB) in National Capital Region (NCR) is a disappointing and sad news on All Saints Day for workers, who with the meager increase might join their departed loved ones sooner in the afterlife. It only shows the weak bargaining power of labor in the RTWPB.

“Huwag tayo masyadong umasa sa pamahalaan,” Atty Sonny Matula explained.

Workers need to help themselves by organizing their ranks into unions to have bargaining power in their workplaces.

To an ordinary worker, the 25 pesos did not even answer the 6.7% inflation which ate up 31.74 pesos of his/her 512 pesos daily minimum wage.

In September 2018 Government data from the NWPC, which was not disputed by employers, showed that workers in Metro Manila lost 72 pesos in purchasing power due to inflation.

The Nagkaisa including AGUILA, FFW, Sentro, PM, PALEA, USFW and 40 other federations supported the TUCP proposal of 334 pesos per day wage increase.

We know that the same is subject to negotiation in a tripartite RTWPB but then again the result falls far, far below our expectations. The low union density also compels us to call on all workers to organize or join unions to empower them to have the opportunity to bargain for wages and benefits in their workplaces.

This October, FFW signed CBAs with wage increases of P1,100/month, P2,500/month and P3,050 per month in Meralco Foundation, Takeda Healthcare, and Bayer Philippines, respectively. CPM

Statement on the meager wage increase Contact:

Sonny Matula, President, Federation of Free Workers/Chair, Nagkaisa Labor Coalition 09178079041 dabigdyul@gmail.com