ABS-CBN workers’ group says 25 sacked over labor dispute

A GROUP claiming to represent 1,400 workers in broadcast giant ABS-CBN Corp.’s job pool said yesterday more than two dozen members have been terminated for their refusal to accept regular employment status.

Alain Cadag, vice-president of the ABS-CBN Internal Job Market (IJM) Workers’ Union, said 25 members were removed from their posts effective June 17.

“The network discriminately terminated them. Others had their schedules rearranged since 12 midnight of June 17,” he said.

The group, which failed to get recognition as a collective bargaining unit last year, had sought regular status and better pay for workers belonging to the IJM, which ABS-CBN describes as a “database” of accredited workers.

The workers’ group rejected the regularization scheme offered early this month, describing it as “bogus” and “selective.” It said workers would be required to waive all previous claims and won’t be given backpay.

Accepting regular status will also mean agreeing with ABS-CBN’s position that IJM workers were not regular employees of the network, but of a different entity.

Mr. Cadag said the 25 employees used to work as cameramen, audiomen, technical directors, video tape recorder staff, and technical engineers.

ABS-CBN spokesman Ramon R. Osorio could not be reached for comment. Last June 16, he said: “We realize we cannot please everybody, but we believe that we are doing what is right for the best interest of the company, employees, and shareholders.”