The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Visayas (RTWPB-7) will hold a series of consultations next month to hear public sentiments on two wage proposals pending before their office.
Cyril Ticao, director of the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7), said their first consultation on April 12 will be held in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.
Another one is scheduled the next day in Tagbilaran City in Bohol province.
A third consultation will be held in Cebu City on April 26.
But before that, Ticao said RTWPB-7 members will be calling for a meeting with officials of the Cebu Labor Coalition (Celac) and the Associated Labor Union–Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Alu–Tucp) in an attempt to consolidate the two wage petitions which they filed on February 28 and March 21, respectively.
Ticao said there was also a need to determine if there was enough basis to support the wage hike petitions.
“Magpa-public consultation muna kami at titingnan namin kung mayroon siyang economic factors like sa pamasahe sa mga workers (We will be conducting public consultations to determine if there are economic factors like increases in fare (that would back the wage hike),” he said.
Celac, which consists of members of the Lonbisco Employees Organization (LEO), Metaphil Workers Union (MWU), Nuwhrain-Montebello Charter and the N-Katipunan and Unionbank Employees Association (UBEA), is seeking a P155.80 across-the-board wage adjustments.
ALU-TUCP is seeking a P120 wage increase.
Whatever amount of wage adjustment is approved by RTWPB-7 will be added to the existing minimum wage of P366 in Central Visayas.
RTWPB-7 last approved a P13 wage hike on March 10, 2017.
“Naglaom ta nga dunay increase kay lisod man sab og wala kay nakita nato nga grabe na gyud ang epekto sa Train Law,” Celac Spokesperson Metudio Belarmino Jr. said.