FORTY-TWO ANCHORS, reporters and production employees of Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) in Manila are up in arms against the management of DZxl radio station after three of their union officers were dismissed in an apparent effort to break up the union.

Early this year, the RMN management terminated RMN Manila Employees Union (RMN-MEU) president Michael Rogas, vice president Lorenz Tanjoco and director Shane Juan. Two other union members were placed in floating status.

Rogas said they filed a notice of strike last May 7, 2012. The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE)-NCR will hear their petition on Tuesday, May 15 at 2:30 pm.

The RMN-MEU had earlier filed union-busting and illegal dismissal cases against the management.

Rogas denounced the management’s anti-worker and anti-union activities and said the union will stage a rally in front of the RMN offices in Guadalupe Commercial Complex along EDSA Guadalupe in Makati City on Thursday, May 17.

Last Friday, May 11, the DoLE held the release of the Certification of Election of the union when three union members filed a motion to intervene. They denied that they are union members, that there was a union meeting and that Rogas is a regular employee.

Rogas said they immediately filed a counter-affidavit with proof that belied the claims of the three union members.

He said the series of union-busting and illegal dismissal actions started when they formed the union in November last year.

In September 2010, RMN DXdc Davao also dismissed station manager Maximo “Dodong” Solis for “loss of trust and confidence and willful disobedience.”

Solis charged the management with illegal dismissal and won the case at the National Labor Relations Commission last April 18, 2011.

RMN has 52 AM and FM stations nationwide and owned by brothers Eric Canoy (president), Charlie and Butch (vice presidents).

Rogas called on fellow media workers to support their actions.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) commends the unity being displayed by RMN Manila Employees Union to fight for better working conditions in the face of the management’s divide-and-rule tactics.

The NUJP supports the actions of RMN-MEU and decries the alarming pattern of illegal dismissals and union-busting activities of managements of various media outfits in the country.