THE government, labor and management would do well to come up with a “win-win solution” to address the proposed increase in the pay of workers in the private sector.

Everybody agrees that both labor and management are victims of the paralyzing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic not only in the country but elsewhere.

We can understand that many business establishments cannot grant wage adjustment at this time because the government is still trying to revive the domestic economy.

And there are fears that if they are forced to grant wage adjustments, some firms might resort to massive retrenchment that would be bad for the economy as a whole.

“Kung mataas ang ibibigay na umento sa mga manggagawa ay baka marami ang mawawalan ng trabaho,” a worried shopping center employee said.

Admittedly, however, workers and their loved ones are hungry, unable to meet their basic needs due to the continued increase in the prices of essential commodities.

There’s also the worsening armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has already killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians and invading Russian soldiers.

Certainly, the public supports government efforts to find a win-win solution to the problem.

Of course, the beleaguered Filipino people don’t need a labor unrest at a time when we are still trying to win the fight against the two-year-old COVID-19 pandemic.

Ang mahalaga ay maayos natin ang masalimuot na problema sa pamamagitan ng mapayapang negosasyon. Hindi ba, Labor Secretary Silvestre “Bebot” Bello?

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