On the 1st day of SSL 3 implementation, GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES VOW TO CONTINUE FIGHT FOR SIGNIFICANT WAGE HIKE; LAUNCH A HUNDRED

Submitted by courage_phil on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 06:09.

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QUEZON CITY- In a press conference today, the employees from different
National Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs), Legislative
and Judicial branches and Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations
announced their plan to further intensify their campaign for a more significant
wage hike amidst the implementation of the Salary Standardization Law 3 (SSL
3).

 

The new salary rates in accordance with the first tranche of the SSL 3
implementation would be applied to all civilian government personnel excluding
those in the LGUs starting today, July 1.

 

The employees declared that the wage increases under the SSL 3 is long
overdue considering that the last Salary Standardization Law 2 was enacted way
back in 1994. However, the employees said that there is still a need for them
to continue their struggle since there are many lopsided provisions in the SSL
3 against the lowly-paid employees who are supposed to benefit more from the
pay adjustment.

 

“We will push for the amendment of the SSL 3 which was essentially
adopted by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through Executive Order 811. Malacañang’s
announcement of a 50% salary increase for all government employees, after GMA
signed the EO two weeks ago, was very confusing. It was meant to appease the
restive ranks of the state workers. But the truth is, the SSL 3 will be most
beneficial to the top officials who are already receiving huge salaries and
other perks and benefits. Minimum earners will be receiving a mere P724 hike
while top bureaucrats will get at least P4,640 during the first instalment of
the increases this July. The SSL 3 also discriminates the LGU employees. Unlike
their counterpart in the NGAs, GFIs and GOCCs, LGUs will implement the wage
hikes depending on their financial capacity and the first tranche starting in
January 2010,” Santi Dasmariñas, Jr., Secretary General of the militant COURAGE
explained. 

 

The employees presented their four-point demand: 1.) the full payment of
the increases for all by 2010, not staggered in four years as specified in the
law; 2.) equal increases for all LGU employees regardless of income or class;
3.) implementation of the first instalment for the LGUs this July and not in
January 2010; and 4.) the continued implementation of the benefits stated on
their CNAs and the different Magna Cartas. 

 

Ferdinand Gaite, COURAGE Party List President also pointed out that the
Department of Budget and Management’s usual excuse that the increases will be
disbursed in tranches to avoid higher budget deficits is quite unacceptable to
them. “The balance needed for the full implementation of the wage adjustments under
the SSL3 is P55.2 billion. The 2009 appropriation for debt servicing (principal
and interest) totals to almost P634 billion. Only 10% from this budget will
already be enough to finance the full implementation of the increases by next
year. And perhaps Mrs. Arroyo can also limit her travels which already reached
P3 billion since she assumed office in 2001. Our point is that it is possible
for the government to source funds for the pay hike if it only has the
political will,” said Gaite.

 

COURAGE also launched its 100,000-signature drive among the state
workers to register the legitimacy of their demand and pressure the government
to heed their calls. “We are targeting to gather all these signatures by
October just in time for the 2010 budget deliberations. This is just to show
our lawmakers that the passage of the SSL 3 did not put an end to the
government workers’ clamor for a living wage, which even the Constitution
guarantees” added Gaite. 

 

A nationally coordinated rally is also being planned in time for annual
state of the Nation Address in July 27. #