GRANGER -- On strike, off the airwaves.

That's how Radio KDNA employees decided Saturday to protest the termination of two former co-workers who they say were fired for trying to join a union; management says that had nothing to do with it.

Now, employees of the Spanish-language public broadcaster said they will return to work only when their former co-workers do, too. In the meantime, static replaces all programming on 91.9 FM.

Scores of KDNA listeners showed up to support station employees throughout the day Saturday while they picketed in front of the Granger building, and later at a community rally at Hisey Park.

"We are no longer getting the respect we deserve," KDNA night supervisor Manuel López said. "We no longer have a voice here. In the 29 years of this station's existence, we have never had to go off the air because of a labor conflict like this."

Problems at KDNA -- founded on the farm workers' movement -- began last summer, when its board of directors hired Maria Fernandez to replace executive director Ricardo Garcia, who retired after 29 years at the station. Internal criticism about the new management style, firings and suspensions have in recent months spilled onto the airwaves and into Granger's tiny shops.

Board president Jorge Lobos said a lot of the complaints against management are solely rumors.

"People are saying we want to change the programming, and we haven't," Lobos said. "They say we're trying to bring in 'educated' people to take over the station, which is just for the farm worker and that's just incredible. Are they against education?"

Many of the people who protested with workers outside Radio KDNA on Saturday said they fear the internal problems could spell an end to their beloved station. KDNA reaches countless Spanish-dominant residents throughout the Valley who turn to the station for questions about immi-gration, health and education.

"For us, it's so important that the station goes on," said longtime listener Maximina Martinez, who added that she only knows the employees from their voices on the air. "What are they going to do, replace these employees with volunteers?

"The volunteers can't produce the same quality work."

Lobos said the station will resume transmission Monday -- regardless of whether the employees remain on strike. It was unclear Saturday who would staff the station come Monday morning.

"Clearly it won't be the same as before because the people won't have the same experience as the employees," he said. "As long as the employees have not done any harm to station equipment that would prevent transmission, KDNA will resume its regular programming."

The board is waiting for a decision regarding the terminated employees from the National Labor Relations Board -- an independent federal agency that governs relations between unions and employers.

* Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 509- 577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.