Radio KDNA plans to use volunteers to broadcast

GRANGER, Wash. -- Radio KDNA's executive director plans to use volunteers to resume broadcasting today as station employees continue their strike outside the building.

The 91.9 FM signal was little more than static Monday. Plans by management to air programs were hindered by a blown fuse due to the weekend's heat.

Meanwhile, employees set up a makeshift "Cadenita" station, calling it "La Cadenita" -- or "Little Chain," a reference to the word spelled out by the station's call letters in Spanish. But instead of broadcasting over the airwaves, announcers could only reach passers-by through speakers outside the Granger building.

Maria Fernandez, executive director of KDNA's parent organization, said the station will depend on some long-time volunteers starting to man the station during the strike.

"They'll be doing what they did back in 1979 when KDNA was founded, and that is volunteer their time to ensure the radio continues to operate," she said.

The station reaches Spanish-speaking listeners throughout the Yakima Valley, who rely on it for information about education, employment, immigration and health.

KDNA production manager Jesus Sosa said he doesn't blame volunteers for helping, but called it unfair of management to use volunteers against employees.

"That's a huge offense to the work we produce, as workers, and to the community," he said.

Employees took the Spanish-language public broadcaster off the air on Saturday to protest the dismissals of two co-workers who say they were fired for union organizing.

Fernandez said she dismissed the employees because of their work performance and won't bring them back.

Management and workers are waiting to hear from the National Labor Relations Board, which is investigating the dismissals. The regional director of the board -- an independent federal agency that governs relations between unions and employers -- could not be reached for comment Monday.

Problems at the station began last summer when Fernandez was hired to replace Ricardo Garcia, who led the station for 29 years.

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