Labor Group Bats for Pro-Worker Franchise for ABS-CBN

In today’s committee hearing of the House of Representatives on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal, the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) pressed for the passage a pro-worker franchise for the beleaguered company.

“We stand in solidarity with the more than 11,000 employees, talents, and technical personnel whose livelihood and employment are put at risk by the non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s media franchise,” Benjamin Alvero, SENTRO Campaign Officer, said during the hearing.

“We believe that worker’s welfare should be placed at the center of the discussions on the franchise. To have around eleven thousand workers facing uncertainty in employment in the midst of a global pandemic is immoral, inhumane, and plainly wrong,” Alvero said. “Worker’s security, especially during this moment, should not be risked in addressing perceived problems our legislators have with ABS-CBN,” he added.

Specifically, SENTRO proposed that the franchise bill should contain specific provisions that would “guarantee respect for workers’ and trade union rights, including the workers’ rights to self-organization, collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, including the right to strike in accordance with law.” It also calls for guarantees that “workers are entitled to full employment, equality of opportunities, security of tenure, humane conditions of work, and a just share in the grantee’s fruits of operation.”

It its submission, SENTRO also calls for a provision that would grant workers’ representation in the company’s board of directors.

SENTRO said in its statement that, “inserting these provisions to the legislative franchise is ultimately beneficial to ABS-CBN.” After all, the company itself admitted that it is not perfect and that it is committed to “assure the public that we strive to maintain the highest level of integrity as we work to deliver services that many Filipinos believe to be important and meaningful” (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2020).

At least 300 workers of ABS-CBN are members of the ABS-CBN Rank-and-File Union (ABSCBNRFEU), which is an affiliate of the National Alliance of Broadcast Unions (NABU), which is in turn a member of the the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO).