by Lito Dar

The Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB), in a board meeting Wednesday, ruled out the issuance of another wage hike order at this time despite the pending clamor due to the continuous increase in the price of petroleum products, which time affected the prices of basic commodities.

In an interview, RTWPB Board Secretary and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) OIC assistant regional director Ted Delson said under the present circumstances, the Board does not see any supervening condition or event that can be a legal basis to issue another wage hike order.

“Although there is really an increase in the price of basic commodities, it is still not extra-ordinary to warrant another wage hike. We are continuously monitoring the economic situation in the region,” Delson said.

He reiterated that RTWPB has just issued a wage hike order last January 2011 - a P12 increase in the daily cost of living allowance (COLA) of private employees. Within a one year since the last pay hike, there should be a supervening condition in order to have another wage hike order.

Delson also bared that although the labor sector manifested their intentions to file for a petition for wage hike, they said during the meeting that they are still assessing their position.

Present during the meeting were RTWPB members National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) regional director Juan Ngalob, Department of Trade Industry (DTI) Myrna Pablo, DOLE OIC regional director Atty. Sixto Rodriguez, employer representatives Atty. Milton Balagtey, and Rey Lardizabal, engineer, and labor/employees representatives Alfonso Lao and Johnny Dela Cruz.

In a related news, National Conciliation and Mediation Board regional director Brenda Rose Odsey affirmed that the Baguio Country Club employees associations has submitted a strike notice due to a failed collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiation. There is also a pending mediation preventive mediation cases involving Saint Louis University (SLU) employees.(JDP/LD-PIA CAR)