Progressive workers as well as journalists have expressed support for workers of Radio Mindanao Network in Davao City who are staging a strike in protest of the media firm’s alleged attempts to bust their union as well as “gross violations of Collective Bargaining Agreement” provisions.

The national labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) picketed the RMN national office in Makati City in support of a “nationwide day of action” for the striking workers. Media groups like the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), as well as the newly-formed alternative media alliance, Altermidya – People’s Alternative Media Network, have come out with a statement and resolution, respectively, in support of the strike.

“We support the workers of RMN Davao in their strike against the firm’s union busting schemes. We also condemn the RMN management for its gross violations of Collective Bargaining Agreement provisions in a desperate attempt to break its workers’ unionized strength” KMU vice chairperson Lito Ustarez said.

The RMN Davao Employees Union-National Federation of Labor Unions-Kilusang Mayo Uno (RDEU-NAFLU-KMU) have complained that the RMN management refuses to replace vacated positions with regular workers in accordance with the CBA’s job security provisions. This is, according to the union, “in order to systematically diminish union membership.”

“RDEU workers also complain of lesser assignments and censorship; their reports are also censored for content considered by the management as ‘left-leaning’ such as valid issues of workers, peasants and human rights,” said the Altermidya resolution, which was approved by its members during the network’s founding assembly on October 10.

Violent reprisals

KMU condemned the RMN Davao management’s attempts to use police and military units to disperse the picket line. The group said, “RMN Davao’s attacks against its workers’ union is part of the Aquino government’s counter-insurgency Operation Plan Bayanihan which has already deployed 60 percent of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ troops in the entire Mindanao to quell the growing people’s movement in the island.

“We believe that RMN Davao’s attack against the RDEU is part of the Aquino government’s Oplan Bayanihan which is now spreading terror in Mindanao. Aquino has militarized the entire island because he is afraid of the growing workers’ and people’s movement in Mindanao and desperately wants to quell their growing resistance against his corrupt and oppressive regime.” Ustarez said.

NUJP also called on the Aquino administration, especially its security forces in the military and police, to desist from interfering in the said labor dispute.

“This warning is issued amid reports from our striking colleagues that some union members have been receiving text message imputing their involvement with the communist revolutionary movement,” Rowena Paraan, NUJP chairperson, said. “These reports cannot be ignored given the long and sad history of interference by the military and other security agencies not only in labor disputes but also in quelling people’s protests against exploitative and destructive business interests.”

RDEU launched its strike on October 2 after the RMN Davao management “refused to implement key provisions on workers’ job security contained in the CBA for 2012.” That year, the union also launched a labor strike.

Supporters of striking RMN Davao workers called on fellow workers, especially those in the media industry, to support RDEU’s fight to save the union and right to job security.