Consumers Domain
Minimum should be living wage
"Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working. "
--Pablo Picasso
The business sector declares that a legislated P125.00 increase in the minimum wage will be "disastrous" to the economy.
I say that increase in the purchasing capacity of the millions of Filipino workers and their families can stimulate spending and spur growth in the economy. It may only be a disaster to the profit margin in the eyes of those greedy capitalists.
The business sector says that the additional labor costs would be harmful to businesses.
I say that a population with increasing income will also have increasing consumption – consumption of the very goods and services that these businesses offer. This simply means that more people will be able to afford the products generated by the economy.
The business sector asserts that the additional labor costs "are not related to productivity" of workers.
I say that a well-nourished worker who can afford to put food on the table can definitely implement his job well. I say that a healthy worker who can afford proper health care can definitely be more productive.
I say that a happy worker who does not need to worry about the demolition of their house or the disconnection of their electric service can definitely think well. I say that a worker with a happy family can definitely be more efficient.
The business sector states that this increase in minimum wage will cause closures and retrenchments.
I say, this is the same threat that they have used perennially to discredit a call for an adjustment to wages. Experience here and even in many other countries will not give credence to that grim prediction. Simply put, that is a scare tactic that is meant to divide and weaken the workers movement in the call for an adequate wage.
The business sector presents, in their full page advertisements campaigning against the wage legislation, that the increase will cause a "disastrous chain reaction" and is a "ticking time bomb".
I say, continue to deny the workers their just share to their fruits of labor and see for yourself where this "disastrous chain reaction" will lead to. And yes, starve an already impoverished population and witness what a real "ticking time bomb" is all about.
After all the things the business sector asserted, and after all the things I said, the most important thing is that all workers and their families have a right to a respectable, humane life.
Now how could our society stomach a minimum wage that is lower than a family's needs to be able to live decently?
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