Cebu labor groups press for P750 national minimum wage

Members of the AMA-SUGBU-KMU (right) welcome the arrival of the members of Partidong Mangagawa as they stage a rally in down town colon street Cebu City during Labor Day celebration. JUNJIE MENDOZA

CEBU CITY, Philippines — “Think about our plight.”

This was the appeal of different labor groups in Cebu as the country marked Labor Day on Wednesday.

About 100 laborers joined the march from Fuente Osmeña to Colon Street in downtown Cebu City at around 8 a.m. to demand a P750 national minimum wage and an end to contractualization.

“Please pass the Security Tenure Bill because it has been three years since President Duterte vowed to end contratualization,” said Dennis Derigue, spokesperson of the Partido ng Manggagawa.

A bill calling for an end to contractualization may yet be approved when the Senate resumes its session after the May 13 elections.

“Endo” (end of contract) is a scheme in which workers are hired for a fixed period so that business entities could avoid making them regular employees.

Derige said the Security of Tenure Bill would put an end to endo and put a stop to labor-only contracting.

Aside from ending contractualization, he also appealed to abolish the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board and increase the minimum wage across the country.

“We also appeal for a nationwide minimum wage of P710 from the present P386 minimum wage in Cebu now,” he said.

“Our income is too small compared to the taxes we pay. I hope the government will consider the plight of laborers,” he added.  /muf

Members of the AMA-SUGBU-KMU, BAYAN and other militant groups brave the heavy downpour as they stage a rally in down town colon street Cebu City during Labor Day celebration. JUNJIE MENDOZA