Better wages, partisan politics mark Labor Day

PARTISAN politics and calling for better wages mixed in yesterday’s Labor Day mass actions.

The Nagkaisa march of moderate labor unions from downtown P. Del Rosario to Fuente Osmeña gathered 4,000 workers yesterday.

The Nagkaisa is composed of the Associated Labor Union – Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Alu-TUCP), Partido Manggagawa, Bukloran ng Maggagawang Pilipino and Association of Progressive Labor.

Among their demands were for the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board to approve their proposed P90 wage increase in Central Visayas.

Progressive labor groups, numbering 200,  meanwhile marched from Fuente Osmeña to Colon, demanding a P125 daily wage increase nationwide.

“Unlike other groups who are pushing for increase in the RTWPB, our group is pushing for P125 legislated wage increase,” said Jaime Paglinawan, chairman of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in Central Visayas.

Partisan

In this election season, the color yellow was very conspicious in the Nagkaisa march.

Cebu’s biggest labor group, the ALU-TUCP declared yesterday their support to 19 Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) candidates lead by mayoralty bet Rep. Tomas Osmeña, incumbent representative of Cebu City’s south district, vice mayoralty bet Joy Augustus Young, south district congressional bet Rodrigo Abellanosa, north district congressional bet Raul del Mar and the City Council slate except for former councilor Nestor Archival.

Art Barrit, ALU-TUCP director said they are instead endorsing Team Rama candidate for councilor Boobie Kintanar because of his family’s contribution to the labor group and in the establishment of their radio station DyLA. The late congressman Isidro Kintanar was responsible for the issuance of the congressional franchise of the radio station.

Former Akbayan party-list representative and Team Pinoy senatorial bet Risa Hontiveros also got the endorsement of the labor groups.

Progressive labor groups on the other hand pushed for the Senate bid of Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño./ Doris C. Bongcac, Jhunnex Napallacan, Tweeny M. Malinao, Christine Emily L. Pantaleon and Chito O. Aragon