By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Last month, local labor group, the General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA), announced they were mulling the idea of petitioning the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-Region VI (RTWPB-6) for higher wages. Recently, GAWA Secretary-General Wennie Sancho reiterated the group is still considering such action.
Previously, Sancho cited the “unabated increases in the price of petroleum products” have created the need for wage increases, explaining, if the upsurge in the price of oil continues, it will constitute an increase in the price of transportation costs and other commodities, such as food – a point he reiterated.
In response, Department of Labor and Employment-Region VI (DOLE-6) director, Atty. Johnson Cañete, said there is not enough time to conduct talks as it is the final quarter of 2017.
He noted, however, talks can be conducted next year.
Earlier this year, DOLE and the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) approved a P25 salary increase for workers in Negros Occidental and Western Visayas.
The salary increase was made in response to a petition filed by the Negros chapter of the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Workers Union (PACIWU) in August of last year./WDJ