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By Sammy Martin, Reporter
OVERSEAS Filipino workers based in the US
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) have complained
that they still receive $3.55 an hour, despite the legislated new
minimum wage of $4.05 an hour for all foreign workers. The law took
effect in late May.
The 50-cent wage hike is in line with the
federal Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, or the US Public Law 110-28,
signed by President George Bush in May last year.
Under the law, the minimum wage in the CNMI will
increase by 50 cents each year in May until it reaches the federal
rate of $7.25 an hour.
The 50-cent wage hike that took effect on May 26
was the second increase after US President George W. Bush signed the
law. The first 50-cent wage hike took effect on July 25, 2007.
CNMI’s 19,000-strong foreign workforce is
heavily dominated by Filipinos directly affected by the
non-implementation of this labor law.
In an interview, Irene Tantiado, chairperson of
the Coalition of United Workers-CNMI, said that while the minimum
wage hike is good for workers, her only concern is that employers
are doing something to recoup the additional expense on salaries.
“For example, charging for food, reduced
number of hours, reduced allowance. There’s no government control
for possible abuses, and employees are helpless,” said Tantiado,
who has been working in Saipan, CNMI’s capital for the past 11
years.
Her coalition pledges to “make sure that any
abuses this time will be out.” It claims thousands of members.
Several Filipino workers also claimed that CNMI
employers are allowed to reduce the number of work hours due to
financial hardships, effectively cutting down their income from
wages and salaries.
They also said the new wage law allows CNMI
employers to deduct from their paycheck up to $100 a month for
housing, previously provided free of charge to many workers, among
others.
They claimed that Filipino house workers
previously paid at least $400 a month, instead of the hourly minimum
wage of $3.55 plus free housing and food, now find themselves
getting lower take-home pay.
A 48-year-old Filipino male worker, who talked
on condition of anonymity, revealed that his employer agreed to
retain him since last year, but told him he would be paid less than
the previous minimum wage of $3.55 an hour.
The worker agreed to the illegal arrangement,
even though his contract states that he was to be paid the correct
minimum wage.
The poor Filipino was forced to accept the low
minimum wage which he agreed with his employer just to be sure that
he can retain his job and remain in the CNMI to provide for his
family in the Philippines.
“I would just endure the arrangement
especially since the federalization of CNMI has already been
approved. I might be given a green card or be placed in a better
situation. And anyway, who would hire me back in the Philippines?”
he remarked.
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