KMU Calls for Senate Bill on Wage Hike, Solons’ Support for Anakpawis P125 Bill

PRESS RELEASE
November 8, 2010

KMU Calls for Senate Bill on Wage Hike, Solons’ Support for Anakpawis P125 Bill Workers trooped to the Senate’s reopening of session today to push for the drafting of a Senate bill for a substantial nation-wide wage hike, and called on members of the Lower House to support the P125 bill re-filed by Anakpawis Partylist.

Led by labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno, workers raised their call for a “much-needed, much-deserved, and long-denied substantial wage hike for the people.”

“We urge our newly-elected lawmakers to give a sign of hope to the workers and people, as Malacañang fails to give any sign of change on this issue, especially in upholding social justice amidst extremely low wage levels,” KMU executive vice chairperson Joselito “Lito” Ustarez said.

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“Wage freeze clearly marked the more than nine years of the previous Arroyo regime. To the extent that the current NCR minimum wage of P404 amounts to only P242 when compared with the prevailing prices in year 2000 – even lower in real value than the P250 minimum wage then, according to research of Ibon Foundation.

“A substantial wage hike has been one of the main demands of the people to the new government, but Pres. Aquino continues to evade addresssing this very valid demand by ordering regional wage boards to grant below P20 increases in several regions.

“The immediate legislation of bills from both the Lower House and the Senate can foil the maneuverings of the Aquino government and big companies to evade a substantial wage hike,” Ustarez said.

“People are struggling harder and harder everyday to survive, while corporations continue to enjoy immense profits. Corporations and the government cannot forever blackmail us to endure low wages, or else we will lose our jobs. Workers have a rightful claim to the profits of businesses that came from our sweat, and to the economy we keep afloat through our labor,” Ustarez added.