‘Kapuso’ talents condemn termination of its members

QUEZON City — Talents Association of GMA (TAG) condemned the Kapuso network for terminating 11 of its members, calling it a direct assault to their right to assembly and association.

The termination comes only a week after the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) arbiter’s decision that declared TAG members as regular employees of the network.

Last June 30, the contracts of several of its members expired. Programs such as ‘Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho’ and ‘Brigada’ renewed the contracts of their staff who are TAG members, consistent with the Network’s previous action of re-hiring the TAG members it initially let go last December 30.

However, the contracts of six members of TAG who are staff of the program ‘Reporter’s Notebook’ were not renewed.

“This alleged breach was also the reason for the succeeding termination of 5 TAG members from the program ‘Imbesti-gador’, despite ongoing contracts,” TAG’s statement read in part.

TAG president Christian Cabaluna claimed that the network terminated its members for “breach of contract because of the group’s protest” in front of the network’s corporate headquarters in Quezon City a month ago.

The protest stemmed from the group’s refusal to issue Acknowledgment Receipts (AR), believing that salaries should be released without condition, and a discriminatory condition at that. The AR policy is still being implemented and our members are still required to issue them in exchange of their checks.

“We believe that they were singled out from the rest of our members who exercised their right to form a group and petition the company,” TAG’s statement read.

Cabaluna said that their members who were terminated will not receive “separation pay and other benefits despite their years of service and loyalty to the network.”

“Our 11 colleagues not only lost their jobs, but their termination also tarnishes what are otherwise good employment records,” said Cabaluna.

“We will say this once again: we formed TAG with everybody’s interest in mind. We formed TAG with the dream of making all TV Network Talents regular employees, whether they’re from GMA or not. The legal papers may contain only our names, but this is a battle we’re fighting for everybody. The termination of 11 of our members will in no way stop us from seeing this battle through.” TAG statement demanded. (CC)