ABS-CBN bars workers from establishing union

Thousands of workers of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. said the management has barred them from forming a union.

In a statement, Antonio Perez, ABS-CBN Internal Job Market (IJM) Workers’ Union president, said management has refused to recognize about 1,400 workers as employees on grounds that they belong to a different entity.

“Our pay slips, IDs and uniforms all bear the logo of ABS-CBN as our employer. Workers who have been in service for many years have even received necklaces and rings affirming their employment in ABS-CBN,” Perez said.

The group’s president said that they obtained certification from the Securities and Exchange Commission that the supposed company named ABS-CBN IJM does not exist.

In a statement, ABS-CBN said that the existing IJM “is a database, which provides the user a list of accredited technical or creative manpower who offer their services to [the company].”

The company said this is aligned with the requirements of the Labor Code, adding that those listed in the IJM roster are “taken care of in accordance with the law.”

The company said this case is pending with the appropriate government agency for dispensation.

The labor strife at ABS-CBN comes at a time when the company is beset by poaching from TV 5, which recently got a fresh shot in the arm following its acquisition by a company affiliated with Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. –Darwin G. Amojelar, Manila Times