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THE Department of Labor and Employment on Friday announced the
creation of an inter-agency body whose task is to identify and
implement non-wage benefit packages for workers.
Acting Labor Secretary Lourdes Trasmonte said in
a statement that the inter-agency body will work in coordination
with labor, management and other concerned government agencies.
The Inter-Agency Committee on Non-Wage Benefits
for Workers was constituted with the issuance of Administrative
Order No. 203-2008, the acting labor chief said.
The creation of the inter-agency body, she said,
is in line with an earlier directive of President Gloria Arroyo to
convene tripartite meetings where social partners can discuss
additional non-wage benefits for workers.
“In the midst of rising prices of goods and
services, employers should now consider the provision of additional
non-wage benefits to workers,” Trasmonte said in the statement.
The acting labor chief appealed to employers to
be open in providing additional non-wage benefits to workers to
augment the latter’s wages, and assist them in coping with the
rising prices of goods and services.
“[This] as part of long term solutions to
ensuring plant level productivity and efficiency,” Trasmonte said,
as she asked employers to cooperate with the inter-agency body in
the identification and implementation of non-wage benefits.
The committee will coordinate with the
Department of Trade and Industry and other concerned government
agencies in the identification of non-wage benefits that should be
given priority.
The committee is also tasked to formulate
strategies to implement these measures with the National Wages and
Productivity Committee serving as the secretariat.
-- Anthony Vargas
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