The talents of Philippine tv network giant GMA have won their regularization case before a labor arbiter of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) against the network.
The network was recently caught in as issue on labor and employment when its talents appealed to the network to get their just benefits like the network’s regular employees. Contractual employees, know as talents, work on the network’s shows as executive producers, associate producers, writers, segment producers/writers, researchers, cameramen, production assistants, and graphic artists, among others.
The issue began when GMA Assistant Vice-President (AVP) for Public Affairs Leogarda Sanchez-Matias informed talents that their salaries would be reverted to checks and will be released upon issuance of an acknowledgment receipt, instead of the usual deposit to their savings accounts.
Members of the Talents Association of GMA (TAG) had filed a regularization case with the NLRC previously because they did not receive their 13th month pay, a mandatory benefit under the Labor Code. Their bonuses were dependent on the profitability of the programs they work on. Other than the bonus, the complaint also mentioned that the talents did not receive their Christmas bonuses and other benefits such SSS, Pagibig, and PhilHealth.
Talents can now enjoy these benefits like regular employees. TAG believes this win if their legacy. While there may be many companies in the country that emplor more contractual workers than regular ones, TAG firmly believes this is one step forward to change the industry and to give better and equal livelihood to those who work hard.
“As a group advocating for the labor rights of media workers in the Philippines, we consider this a very important milestone for the media industry and we hope that this sets a precedent for other labor issues across all media companies in the country,” TAG says.
Photos from the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Facebook page.
