Negros Oriental and the rest of the country will celebrate Labor Day on Tuesday, May 1.
While celebrated on different dates in other countries, Labor Day is an annual holiday to mark the economic and social achievements of workers.
Labour Day has its origins in the labor union movement, specifically the eight-hour movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.
Three local government units in Negros Oriental–Dumaguete City, Canlaon City and Zamboanguita town — will simultaneously hold a series of activities to mark the Labor Day celebration.
These activities range from job fairs to symposiums to discuss the trends in the labor sector.
On the surface, these activities are laudable as they appear to give importance to the labor sector.
But lurking beneath the surface are dark issues confronting the labor sector in Negros Oriental. A recent study conducted by the Department of Labor on sugar and rice industries in the Province reveals that half of the workers are underpaid. Labor Employment Inspector Kenrick Villaluz said only 50 percent of employers are complying with the Minimum Wage Law.
The current wage law mandates that workers in the non-agriculture and sugar mill industry should be receiving P275 for the first eight hours, while workers in the agriculture industry should be receiving P255 a day.
It may be true there are businesses that cannot afford to pay the minimum wage as they are barely making ends meet. But that is more of the exception than the rule.
This lamentable situation of the labor sector is also encouraged by the many laws, in that small businesses are exempted from paying the minimum wage.
This policy, in fact, gives incentives for businesses to remain small. There is no incentive for growth.
Perhaps our leaders might want to look into this situation, and plug the holes that fuel discontent for our workers.
It is Labor Day, after all.
