Labor group calls on ABS-CBN to regularize 5,000 non-regular workers
By Leslie Ann Aquino
Labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) on Monday called on broadcast network ABS-CBN to regularize its workers once its franchise is renewed by Congress.
“We support the challenge by Senator Risa Hontiveros during the Senate hearing on the franchise of ABS-CBN for the company to improve working conditions and promote job security of its employees if the franchise is renewed,” Wilson Fortaleza, PM chairperson, said in a statement.
The group said ABS-CBN should treat as “kapamilya” (co-family) its 5,000 workers who are project-based or independent contractors by making them regular employees. “Kapamilya” is the one of the network’s taglines.
“ABS-CBN of course gives mandated benefits to its non-regular workers. But the crux of the contractualization issue is that ABS-CBN, along with other broadcast firms, denies better wages and benefits to them since they are not regular in status,” Fortaleza said.
“In fact it is disingenuous for ABS-CBN to now express concern for its 11,071 [employees] but refuse to recognize [the] employee-employer relationship, when a few years ago, contractual workers unionized in a bid to negotiate for improved wages and working conditions,” he added.
The group issued the statement the day the Senate held a hearing on the franchise issue of the television network.
The network’s franchise is set to expire on May 4, according to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
