[APWSLMembers 452] “RTWPB, scientifically deceptive and irrational” – PAMANTIK-KMU

Kilusang Mayo Uno kmuid at tri-isys.com
Fri Jan 12 20:51:54 JST 2007


PAMANTIK-KMU
NEWS RELEASE
12 January 2007

Reference:                 Luz Baculo
                           ;       Secretary-General, PAMANTIK
                                Mobile phone: 0920.8314993

“RTWPB, scientifically deceptive and irrational” – PAMANTIK-KMU

This is the statement made by the militant 
Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog K atagalugan 
(PAMANTIK-KMU) to debunk the recent claims made 
by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita that 
Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards 
(RTWPB) have more “scientific and sober approach” 
in determining wage hike for workers.

PAMANTIK hit on Malacañang and business groups in 
their “collaborative and systematic” efforts to 
trash House Bill 345 or the P125-legislated wage 
increase which recently passed the House of 
Representatives.  Now in Senate, a counterpart 
bill proposes a one-time P100 hike.

“Wage boards have done no good in determining 
which is best for the workers.  Instead, they 
have made it appear scientically sound to deceive 
the workers whil e maintaining partiality to the 
interests of capital,” said Luz Baculo, PAMANTIK secretary-general.

Citing Wage Orders No. 9, 10, and 11 promulgated 
in Region IV-A (CALABARZON) on November 1, 2004, 
June 20, 2005 and August 7, 2006, respectively, 
Baculo described how the wage boards made it 
appear to provide wage hikes while in reality dock workers’ wages.

“Before Wage Order No. 9, all non-agricultural 
workers in CALABARZON received a daily P237 
minimum wage.  However, in the study we 
conducted, Wage Order No. 9 made workers working 
in certain municipalities, like in Cavite City, 
Carmona, Santa Rosa, Cabuyao, Lipa, and Tanauan 
to receive an additional P12 hike but short of P6 
in lieu of the duly implemented Wage Order.”

Despite the last two wage orders, Baculo made 
references to Wage Order No. 9 which she claimed 
“started a retrogressive effect” in terms of workers’ wages in CALABARZO N.

Arbitrary reclassification

“First, we are looking into the responsibility 
and accountability of the RTWPB whether it has 
the sole authority to reclassify areas to 
determine the wage increase for workers.”

With the implementation of Wage Order No. 9, the 
RTWPB-IV-A reclassified the region in four (4) 
areas, namely, extended metropol itan with P18 
wage hike, growth corridor with P12, emerging 
growth with P8, and resource-based with P5.

“The RTWPB reclassified municipalities with the 
most number of export processing zones (EPZs) to 
growth corridor and emerging growth areas.”

Previously under extended metropolitan areas, 
Wage Order No. 9 reclassified municipalities 
under growth corridor areas including 10 
municipalities in Cavite (Dasmarinas, Cavite 
City, Carmona, Gen. Trias, Kawit, Rosario, 
Silang, Tagaytay City, Tanza, an d Trece Martirez 
City), 6 in Laguna (Sta. Rosa, Cabuyao, Calamba, 
Los Baños, San Pablo City, and Sta. Cruz), 6 in 
Batangas (Baun, Lipa, Batangas City,  San 
Pascual, Sto.Tomas, and Tanuan City), and Antipolo City in Rizal.

“Of course, these areas are not close to Metro 
Manila in terms of geographical proximity as how 
RTWPB defines municipalities in extended 
metropolitan areas.  However, companies and 
businesses in the EPZs, which are mostly 
multinational and transnational companies, were 
spared by the RTPWB from providing their workers a modest raise.”

“Furthermore, in our study, most workers do not 
live in the same municipality where they are 
employed.  They take from their salaries 
transportation expenses in going to and from work,” said Baculo.

Worse hit on contractual workers

The reclassification differentiated wage hikes 
for “current” and “new” employees.

Baculo stated that most of those who fall under 
‘new’ employee classification are contractual or irregular workers.

In a sample case presented by PAMANTIK, an 
irregular woman worker employed in an electronics 
company in First Philippine Industrial Park in 
Tanauan City, Batangas received P237 prior to the 
implementation of Wage Order No. 9.

“When her term of employment ended and got 
re-hired in the same company with a new contract, 
(or if she was employed as a contractual worker 
in another company in the same EPZ and 
municipality), her daily wage was adjusted to 
P232 during the effectivity of Wage Order No. 9,” clarified Baculo.

“Apparently, there is only a disparity of P5 in 
the wage. However, considering the area and 
current-new employee reclassifications, P23 was 
slashed from her salary or 9.02% less from what 
she was supposed to get under Wage Order No. 9.”

Abolition of wage boards

“The workers were dubious since the creation of 
the wage boards.  Workers have demanded for the 
abolition of these wage boards and the repeal of 
RA 6727 even before the law was enacted,” said Baculo.

RTWPBs were formed by virtue of Republic Act 6727 
or the Wage Rationalization Act in 1989.

Although Congress approved the 3-tranche wage 
hike of P125, PAMANTIK said the bill continuously 
draws popular support among workers.
< SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt;FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua';">
“It is far better than throwing the issue to the 
wage boards.  Workers have been more enthusiastic 
to push the wage campaign forward.  Even yellow 
unions previously against the bill are now making 
scenes to take advantage of the credits.”

Workers warn Arroyo

“However, with the popular clamor for the P125 
legislated wage hike, the Arroyo administratio n 
flagrantly and insultingly isolates itself from 
the majority of the toiling masses and their 
interests,” PAMANTIK’s reaction to Arroyo’s attempt to veto the wage hike bill.

Baculo concluded, “The P125-legislated wage hike, 
which is an economic struggle, has taken a mature 
political shape over the years.  Workers warn, 
and let us not dismiss the fact, that this issue 
will be a strong force Mrs. Arroyo has to contend 
with in order to preserve her regime.”###





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