Ban courts from blocking wage hike – Raffy Tulfo

In filing Senate Bill 2372, Tulfo cited a Pasig court’s issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) suspending the daily minimum wage hike of P85 in Metro Manila.

“A wage order is a product of rigorous public hearings, economic studies and tripartite consultations involving the government, labor sector and employers,” Tulfo said.

“Timely implementation of these much-needed wage adjustments is frequently derailed. Aggrieved parties often resort to filing petitions for TROs or preliminary injunctions before the courts to halt the enforcement of newly published wage orders,” he added.

Although Article 126 of the Labor Code prohibits injunctions against “proceedings” before the National Wages and Productivity Commission or regional wage boards, Tulfo said a legal loophole remains.

“Since ‘proceedings’ can be construed to cover only hearings and deliberations before these bodies, parties have been able to seek court orders preventing the implementation of wage orders,” Tulfo said.

“This practice subverts the very purpose of the wage-setting mechanism. By the time the legal dispute is resolved, the purchasing power of workers has been eroded and the intended economic relief of the wage increase is rendered moot,” he pointed out.

By ensuring the immediate and unimpeded effectivity of wage orders, Tulfo said the economic survival of workers is protected and the constitutional mandate of social justice is upheld.