A labor group said they opposed an advisory of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that employees and employers may agree , voluntarily and in writing, to temporarily adjust employees’ wage and wage-related benefits as provided for in existing employment contract, company policy, or collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

The labor department  advisory, issued Monday, added:  provided that the said adjustments in wage and benefits should not exceed six months, or the period mandated in their CBAs.

In a statement, the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition (Nagkaisa) denounced Labor Advisory No. 17-2020, where DOLE proposed wage and benefits adjustments to help preserve jobs  while companies get back on track.

“DOLE is giving employers a blank check to roll back the gains made by the unions and even pay their workers starvation wages! Nagkaisa believes that this proposition is highly disadvantageous to workers,” said Nagkaisa.

Nagkaisa urged Labor  Secretary Silvestre Bello III to immediately recall the advisory.

“The State must never allow itself to become a party to employers’ latest trick to shortchange their workers,” it furthered.

Nagkaisa said such a scenario would open the possibility of employers further abusing their workers.

“Workers, especially those who are unorganized, may have no option except to follow the wishes of their employers as many unscrupulous employers would simply threaten workers with dismissals or company closures if they don’t ‘voluntarily’ agree to rollback their wages and other wage-related benefits,” it added.

Nagkaisa said such a policy may be retained even after the public health crisis and even after companies have recovered their losses.

“From the looks of it, it would be difficult to reinstate the previous wage levels enjoyed by workers as the (advisory) allows employers to review their agreement and may renew the same after six months,” said Nagkaisa. DMS