SOLAIR SC 2008-2009 Official Statement on Labor Day

Posted below is the Official Statement of SOLAIR SC which Anto, Jef and yours truly drafted for the Labor Day. An insightful blend of different labor issues which we deem necessary for the present administration to decide upon.

Surprisingly, the only labor update released today by Malacañang is the 10% percent wage increase for the government employees only. The National and Regional Wage Boards have yet to finalize the proposed wage increases per region. This is not a good news for many of our laborers.

We will nevertheless continue with our call for the expediency of this wage increase. We will be on the lookout watching how the government will act on this issue.

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NOT ANOTHER ORDINARY DAY…

The SOLAIR Student Council joins the rest of the nation in the observance of Labor Day.

The salient labor concerns such as sluggish implementation of wage increases, debilitating work standards and conditions, among others have remained unresolved up to this time. And this year may not be significant, as workers are still at the brink of rising unemployment rates, poorer working conditions, higher prices of commodities and increasing contractualization of work.

The recent shortcomings of our agricultural prices strained many of our laborers to clamor for the expedient implementation of a rational wage increase to sustain their decent livelihood. We believe that the increase on the daily wages is not only timely as it has been long overdue. The Student Council sees this issue as an institutional dysfunction of the appropriate government agencies supposed to deliver the mandate for the conduct of wage reviews, whether in a state of unprecedented national crisis or not.

We call for the immediate resolution of this issue and we urge these agencies to immediately act and present a feasible wage increase structure. We clamor for a more transparent and consultative wage review process to include participation of the different sectors of the society, especially the working population. By exercising this mandate, we provide assurance for both workers and employers.

The UP SOLAIR Student Council believes that the appropriated non-wage benefits for this year’s observance of Labor Day is an insult to the ordinary workers. These token “gifts” are clear manifestations of the State’s lopsided policy towards Labor. These represent the State’s total disregard of the interests and overall well-being of the working class.

We demand for the relevant government agencies to deliver their mandate!
We demand for transparent and accountable wage review process to include different sectors of the society, especially the working class!
We demand for the expedient implementation of wage increase!

We call on the Arroyo Administration to act on these NOW!!!

UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations
Student Council
AY 2008-2009

May 01, 2008