MANILA, Philippines – Kinondena ng mga pro-labor group ang desisyon ng Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) na maglabas ng temporary restraining order (TRO) laban sa ₱85 minimum wage increase para sa mga manggagawa sa Metro Manila.
Sinuspinde ng Pasig RTC Branch 152 ang pagpapatupad ng wage hike hanggang Agosto 13 matapos maghain ng petisyon ang Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. at R-II Builders Inc., na nagsabing may pagdududa sila sa kakayahan ng mga employer na bayaran ang dagdag-sahod.
“Dole (Department of Labor and Employment) Secretary Francis Tolentino is correct, what is happening now is historic — historic shamelessness in terms of disregarding the Filipino people,” ayon kay Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Elijah San Fernando.
“After bragging about the P85 wage increase in NCR (National Capital Region), a TRO from the Pasig RTC waives its effect. This is just a meager amount, paid in two-gives, and now they are suspending whatever little assistance that could have helped workers,” dagdag pa niya.
Iginiit ni San Fernando na ang TRO ay lumalabag sa Labor Code, partikular sa Article 126, na nagsasabing walang korte ang maaaring maglabas ng TRO laban sa mga proseso ng Regional Wage Boards.
“This TRO goes against the law and the Labor Code […] Aside from Article 126, Article 123 of the Labor Code stated that any appeal regarding the wage order should go through the National Wages and Productivity Commission of Dole,” aniya.
“This means that the Pasig RTC has no jurisdiction on any wage increase discussions. This is clearly encroachment by the judiciary on the quasi-legislative function of Dole,” dagdag pa niya.
Pinuna rin niya si Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino dahil umano’y agad nitong sinunod ang TRO sa halip na kuwestiyunin ito.
Samantala, sinabi ng Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) na ang TRO ay magpapaliban sa matagal nang hinihintay na dagdag-sahod ng mga manggagawa sa Metro Manila sa kabila ng patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng pagkain, pamasahe, kuryente, pabahay, at iba pang pangunahing pangangailangan.
“This is the height of corporate greed, desperation, and utter indifference to the daily suffering of Filipino workers. It is disgusting that instead of providing this small wage increase, it will be paid in installments and was brought to court,” ayon sa TUCP.
Sinabi rin ng TUCP na ang petisyon ng dalawang construction company ay hindi lamang kumukuwestiyon sa wage hike kundi pati sa mismong sistema ng wage increase, at maaaring makaapekto sa Wage Rationalization Act (RA 6727).
“This is not simply an objection to a wage order. This is an attempt to destroy the integrity of tripartism itself. Employers actively participated in every stage of the wage board proceedings. They were heard. They presented evidence. They voted. They lost,” dagdag pa ng TUCP.
“Now that they failed to convince the Wage Board, they seek to achieve in court what they could not obtain through the very legal process established by Congress. They should not use the court as a second round after failing in the wage board because they lost during the voting process.”
Nauna nang inaprubahan ng DOLE ang ₱85 wage increase para sa Metro Manila workers na ipatutupad sana sa dalawang tranche, ngunit nananatiling suspendido ito dahil sa inilabas na TRO ng Pasig RTC. Jocelyn Tabangcura-Domenden
