By Fernan Angeles
DESPITE absorbing a huge chunk of advertisers resulting from the closure of rival television network, GMA Network has terminated employees working for 10 of its news and public affairs shows aired on its other free channel.
According to a report in the digital platform, contractual employees of GMA News TV’s State of the Nation (SONA), afternoon newscast Balitanghali, hourly news updater Quick Response Team (QRT) and News TV Live had already been told of the supposed termination of their services but the network management has yet to finalize some more documents pertaining to the lay-off.
Since mid-March, these programs were kept at bay. GNTV however remains on air, but only with simulcasts of its radio and GMA7 programs.
Later on, new shows were introduced, mostly shot at home.
Terminated employees however don’t seem convinced that the GMA Network fired them because of heavy losses incurred in the wake of the government-imposed restrictions amid pandemic.
They went as far as citing GMA Network’s own disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that saw the broadcast company post a 4 percent rise in earnings, or P1.4 billion, in the 1st half of the year – mainly because of the government-backed shutdown of rival ABS-CBN, which compelled many advertisers shift to GMA7.
In their social media posts, the laid-off GNTV employees said they were literally surprised with the announcement and didn’t have any inkling that their home network would be taking “cost-cutting” measures despite raking more money as compared for the same period of the previous years.
Most of those terminated are contractual workers or employees under project employment contracts (PEC). They were previously referred to as talents who had renewable contracts every 6 months or so.
The PEC system was implemented after talents sued the network for regularization. PECs provided workers with some benefits not previously given to talents, but still under renewable contracts usually from 6 to 12 months.
Under the PEC, GMA can terminate the contract upon the completion or discontinuation of the project but they have to give the employee a 30-day written notice.
The affected GNTV public affairs programs include Tonight with Arnold Clavio, Biyahe ni Drew, Good News, Ang Pinaka, Pop Talk, Pinas Sarap, Bawal Ang Pasaway and Reel Time.
As if the termination isn’t enough, the GMA network hinted at collecting from the terminated employees who have secured loans from their company during the months that they were not able to work in the wake of the COVID-triggered government restrictions.