Over 80 percent of employers paid 13th month pay: Labor group

MANILA - Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said around 80 percent of employers gave their workers 13th-month pay as prescribed by law.

"Marami ang nag-comply sa 13th month payment. Itong mga deadline sa deadline sa Dec 24. Siguro kung may complaints man, we are expecting them by January,” said TUCP Spokesman Alan Tanjusay in Balitaan sa Maynila virtual forum.

(A lot complied with the 13th-month payment. They met the December 24 deadline. If there may be some complaints, we are expecting them by January.)

“As of now we can only assume that more than 80 percent of the business enterprise in the country ay nagbigay ng 13th month pay kasi positive ang ating ekonomiya as of now, more than 80 percent of the business ay nagbukas," he added.

(As of now we can only assume that more than 80 percent of the business enterprise in the country gave out the 13th-month pay because the economy is positive. As of now, more than 80 percent of businesses were able to open.)

But despite this, workers are now faced with what Tanjusay calls as the “furloughs and floating status”.

He said this has become a trend, with many companies putting employees on floating status or furlough with any due process.

"Parang ang ginawa ng employers dito, in-assume nila na karapatan nilang mag-float at mag-furlough ng manggagawa dahil sa financial distress brought by the pandemic,” Tanjusay added.

(What employers are doing is that they assume that they have the right to furlough or give employees a floating status because of financial distress brought by the pandemic.)

The labor group said they are alarmed by this because furloughed employees do not have rights, and don't know how long they will be "floating." 

Tanjusay said they would ask the Labor Department to intervene in the issue. 

TUCP also expressed concerns on “independent contracting” as more businesses online are in need of workers.

"Under independent contracting wala silang minimum wage, wala silang social protection insurance kagaya ng SSS, Pag-IBIG at PhilHealth. Walang standards na ganito. Walang employee- employer relationship,” said Tanjusay.

(Under independent contracting, they do not have minimum wage, they do not have social protection insurance like SSS, Pag-IBIG, and PhilHealth. They do not have standards like this. They do not have an employee-employer relationship.)