The PERA or the pandemic emergency relief allowance being sought by labor representatives to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board appears headed for some rough sailings.
Labor representatives Wennie Sancho and Hernani Braza proposed a P20 to P25 daily wage adjustment as PERA amid the COVID-19 crisis but their counterpart in the management sector, Frank Carbon, doused cold water on the workers’ proposal.
The PERA, the labor group proposed, will be integrated to the prevailing minimum wage.
Regional Director Cyril Ticao of the Deparment of Labor and Employment, said his office will seek the opinion of other government-member agencies of the RTWPB regarding the PERA petition.
The wage board is set to meet on Nov. 27 to vote on Braza and Sancho’s proposal.
Although Ticao disclosed he already had initial discussions with some members of the board, adding that
the others are still collecting data as to the effect of COVID- 19 pandemic in the employment of workers.
He said he also needs to get the positions of the regional directors of the National Economic Development Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry on the matter.
Braza said their proposed amount in the PERA is just enough to cover the inflation rate hike and boost the purchasing power of workers.
Ticao, the concurrent RTWPB chair, said it is not easy for the board to make a premature decision since it has to listen to the position of the management sector.
Carbon, the chief executive officer of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, opposed any wage adjustment through the PERA at this time of crisis since all types of businesses are badly affected by the pandemic as well.
He said labor should be working with the employers how to being back jobs to people instead of demanding for pay adjustments.
He said most of the small and micro businesses are just slowly re-opening through bank loans and it is untimely to talk about any additional pay for workers. -Mitch Lipa
