Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) is in solidarity with the workers of giant television network ABS-CBN who are set to lose their livelihood. Nearly 100 workers are at risk of losing their jobs due to the alleged drop in income from the network’s advertisements. The company is owned by the Lopez family, one of the nation’s largest bourgeois-comprador families.

The workers learned about the large-scale termination after the company publicly announced its latest earnings. Despite the Congress’s denial of the network’s franchise extension in 2020, the Lopez family’s income continued to grow, from $230 million in 2020 to $300 million in 2023. For the third quarter of this year, the Lopez family’s income has already reached $230 million.

“The Lopez family clearly continues to exploit its labor resources, not just in ABS-CBN but also in its real estate and energy businesses,” according to the KMU. “The Lopez family’s claim of losses is a bogus pretext, as they continue to increase their income from their workers in recent years.”

According to KMU, the Lopez family should ensure the livelihood of its workers and fulfill their promise of alternative employment, even in their other businesses. Additionally, the government labor agency should provide support to the workers who face losing their jobs.