THE BIGGEST labor coalition in the Philippines has called on Congress to propose a single minimum wage for workers in both rural and urban areas, saying the regional wage-setting system discriminates based on location.
“The current minimum wage structure, which varies by region and sector, fails to account for the fundamental truth that all workers share common needs and responsibilities, regardless of where they live or the industry they work in,” the Nagkaisa labor coalition said in a statement late Saturday.
It said establishing a single national minimum wage would simplify the implementation and compliance of wage orders instead of the current set-up in which the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWB) determine wage increases per respective area.
Last month, the wage board in Region 4-A approved a P35-P50 increase to the daily minimum wage in the region covering Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (Calabarzon); while the wage boards of Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and SOCCSKSARGEN earlier approved P30, P40, and P35 wage increases respectively.
On June 29, the National Capital Region’s RTWB approved a P40 increase in the daily minimum wage, bringing the daily minimum wage to P610 a day from P570 for those in non-agriculture sectors.
This is much lower than what the Unity for Wage Increase Now’s petition sought, a P570 increase that would bring Metro Manila’s daily minimum wage to P1,100.
“Workers in the agriculture sector, who are essential in providing food for the nation, should not be treated as if they have different stomachs or lesser needs than those in urban areas,” Nagkaisa said.
“It is unjust to perpetuate a system that treats workers differently based on their location or sector of employment.”— John Victor D. Ordoñez
