OFW reduced wage rate -- Is it legal?! Seafarer, seaman

anonymous
This person has chosen to hide his/her identity.

Hi! Is it legal based on our current labor code/law to reduce the employees' wage rate?

My husband is an OFW, seafarer under an offshore flag. Alam naman po natin ang lagay ng oil industry these days and isa po sila sa mga apektado.


As of this writing, madami po sa kanila ang naka offboard at nahihirapan sumakay. Binawasan po ng company ng 2 levels ang wage rate nila at sinabihan sila na kung di nila pipirmahan ung contract with the reduced rate, ay ibibigay na lang sa iba ang sakay nila. Is it even legal?! I really hope to receive a response.. Thanks in advance


 

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Adelaimar C Arias-Jose
is a Legal expert in the Philippines
Ah, ganito po iyon.

Ang isang employment contract ay isang "law between the parties" ibig sabihin, ang relatioship ng employer at employee, ang nag-go-govern nito ay ang employment contract. So, kung ang nakalagay sa employment contract ay ang suweldo ay P1 million a month, at ikaw ay sinuwelduhan lamang ng P999,999.00, it will give rise to a cause of action, puede kayong magdemanda na ibigay ang kabuuan ayon sa kontrata, or, buwagin na lamang ang kontrata sapagkat nilabag naman ito ng isang partido.

Ngayon, ang isang employment contract ay hindi permanente. Tulad ng sinasabi ninyo, dahil sa dumalang ang mga shipment ng langis, dumalang din ang paglalayag, so, ang seafarer na binabayaran para sa x number of hours ay, sa totoo, hindi nakakapag-trabaho ng ayon din sa kontrata.

Puede pong ang contrata ay amiendahan, puede pong ang kontrata ay baguhin. Dapat lamang ay, may consent ang seafarer. IYon na nga lamang, kung hindi paborable para sa seafarer ang bagong kontrata, ang seafarer ay hindi obligadong magtrabaho. (Sa totoo lang po, kung nakipag-contrata ang shipping company sa isang seafarer, hindi puwedeng wala silang sapat na pondo para tapusin ang mga kontratang kasalukuyang existing -- may kapital sila at profits, they cannot realistically be in operation if they do not have sufficient money to continue their operations despite losses). Kailangan kasi na ang losses ay substantial, at walang nakikitang pag-asa na maka-bawi pa sa mga losses. Kung temporary lamang ang losses at may iba pa naman silang business (katulad ng pag-lalayag upang maghatid ng iba pang produkto liban sa langis), ang paghina ng kalakalan sa langis ay hindi sapat na dahilan para ang mga seafarer's contracts ay baguhin. Kumbaga, depende po sa factual situation.

Pag-uwi niya sa Pilipinas, puede siyang pumunta sa iang abogado at tignan kung maaari niyang kasuhan ang manning agency, ang nag-deploy sa kanya. This is the best that you can do.

About the author

Adelaimar C Arias-Jose

I am a graduate of the UP College of Law. Member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines since 1995. I am currently involved in private practice in criminal, civil and labor law.
Profession: Lawyer
Adelaimar C. Arias-Jose
Office Address: #34 St. Michael Street
Philippines , Manila , Makati
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