UPAC: DOLE's No Wage Hike, Proves 6.6% Growth Limited to Capitalists

The Union Presidents Against Contractualization or UPAC sharply criticized the announcement made by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz that there will be no expected wage increase on May 1 or the International Labor Day. According to Rodelito Atienza, lead organizer of UPAC and also the president of the union of PMFTC, "Whatever economic growth Malacanang has been talking about these past months has been disproven by its very own Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). If so, then it would be so easy for the government to impose it on the capitalists".

The grassroots coalition also slammed the DOLE for organizing only a "possibility" of non-wage benefits, job fairs and a traditional breakfast-date with President Benigno Aquino III, which they branded as a "classic photo-op fail" and will most likely circulate among social media networks as a source of comic relief.

"If the President thinks his political capital is infinite and can do about disregarding the true heroes of his much publicized 6.6% economic growth then he is really pushing us off the cliff. He must be warned of how desperate the forty million Philippine workforce has become these past months specially after going against the employees of Philippine Airlines," Atienza added.

The coalition is also dismayed that the candidates endorsed by Malacanang has remained mum on the issues affecting the labor sector. Since the commencement of the campaign period in February, UPAC has issued statements challenging all senatoriables to make public their position on contractualization and the unwritten policy of cheap labor of the government.

"We call on our brothers in the working class movement to boycott the invitation to a lame breakfast-date with the chief executive officer of the capitalist system in the Philippines. For union leaders that opt to attend, disrupting the ceremonies live on national television will be an imperative and their most heroic contribution to the struggle for the dignity of the Filipino workers," Atienza concluded.

UPAC affiliates shall be joining the march to the foot of Mendiola bridge on Labor Day with other labor federations to demand major changes in the government's policy affecting the labor sector. (PNA)