By Benjamin Pulta
MANILA – Workers groups have asked the Supreme Court (SC) to look into the Pasig Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the P85 minimum daily wage hike order in Metro Manila.
In a letter addressed to SC Judicial Integrity Office Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Tolentino, the groups sought a “request for administrative evaluation of orders ” issued by the RTC Branch 152 to stop the wage increase for private sector workers despite the courts’ prohibition against injunctions in the labor laws.
The groups pointed out that the Labor Code explicitly provides that “no preliminary or permanent injunction or temporary restraining order may be issued by any court, tribunal or entity against any proceedings before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards.”
The law instead provides a mechanism for aggrieved parties to question a wage order through an appeal with the wage board within 10 days from publication.
Despite the prohibition, the Pasig court issued the TRO on July 30 after the court executive judge issued a status quo ante order on July 24.
Citing a 2001 precedent, Nova vs. Dames, the groups pointed out that a judge who restrained the execution of a final labor award, contrary to the Labor Code’s prohibition against injunctions in labor cases, was found guilty of gross ignorance of the law.
The wage order will be granted in two tranches, with the first supposedly to take effect on July 25 and the second tranche on Jan. 20, 2027.
Among the signatories of the letter are Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña, and officials of National Union of Workers in Hotel, Restaurant and Allied Industries, League of Independent Bank Organizations, United Domestic Workers Federation, National Union of Workers in the Power Industry, Tala Estate Settlers Federation, and National Alliance of Broadcast Unions. (PNA)
