Employers should pay the new wage increases in Western Visayas that took effect Sunday or face penalties, which could include imprisonment, Labor Regional Director Sixto Rodriquez Jr. warned Monday, June 6.
Under Republic Act 8188 an employer who refuses to pay the prescribed increases will be fined not less than P25,000 to not more than P100,000, or face imprisonment of not less than two years nor more than four years, or both at the discretion of the court, he said.
The new order increased the daily wages of employees in private establishments employing 10 workers and below from P310 to P420 or by P110, and for those employing more than 10 workers from P395 to P450 or by P55.
It also increased the wages of WV agricultural workers from P315 to P410, or by P95.
Wennie Sancho, labor representative on the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, said he is proposing that a task force that will include representatives of labor and management be granted “visitorial powers” to monitor compliance of the wage order.
He said will make the request at a wage board meeting on June 9.
If the new wages are not reflected in their salaries on June 15, workers should also file complaints with the DOLE, Sancho added.
Rodriquez said under the law only the regional director can give authority to inspectors to conduct routine inspections of establishments.
There is no such thing as a task force to implement the law, he said.*