Rudolfo Austria “Rudy” Fernandez, Sr. (July 26, 1927 – June 9, 1979) was a prominent Filipino labor leader, trade unionist and staunch opposer of the late President Ferdinand Marcos in Davao City, Philippines.

During World War II (1945–1947), the young Fernandez, still in his teens, made use of his expertise in the English language and became the local messenger and interpreter between the American troops and the guerillas who were fighting against the Japanese Occupational forces.

He left the university and migrated to Davao City, Southern Philippines to be with his other brother Ramon Fernandez, Sr. and worked in his stevedoring business to pursue his dream of becoming a lawyer.

It was at this time in his life that Fernandez met and frequently partnered with Nida Blanca, one of Manila's most beautiful women and the queen of the city's club dance showdowns.

"Rudy" Fernandez, Sr. eventually became an active Labor organizer in Davao becoming fully aware of the unhealthy and unlawful practices of the local companies and industries towards their workers and employees.

Workers and or laborers during those times in Davao were predominantly oblivious of their basic legal rights and how to attain them and companies aware of this fact, were mostly abusing this ignorance.

He was confined in the hospital for almost 3 months and was under physical therapy for almost 6 and then gained back his strength to walk again and continue his dauntless efforts as a Labor Leader.

It was during these gatherings that he befriended the country’s future Speaker of the House, Prospero Nograles, Davao City's former Mayor and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary of the Philippines' 11th President Corazon Aquino’s cabinet, Mayor Luis T. Santos and Ernesto Macasaet, Davao City’s Chief of Police, who eventually became a good friend of his.

Maintaining his empathy towards the workingmen he had sworn to serve, he was known to offer generous help to them keeping his home constantly open whenever they come to him for food and provide whatever assistance he could give.

Due to Fernandez’ open criticisms against the Marcos' dictatorship and his close association with Davao City's local Liberal Party Chapter, his house and residence in Talomo, Davao City was raided by the Military and searched the next day after Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972, with an alleged tip that he was hiding an arsenal of guns.

Over the next few years despite Fernandez being a very vocal opponent and his oppositionist leaning, the government supported collective bargaining, and the regulation of the minimum wages and strikes were still allowed although constrained.

Fernandez was elected as one of TUCP’s Vice Presidents and was chosen to represent the country as a Labor Observer in Europe in 1976 which was sponsored by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Back in the Philippines, despite being swamped with labor work, Fernandez, a Roman Catholic and a known devotee of the Santo Niño de Cebú (Holy Child of Cebu), never fails to visit the Basilica where it is ensconced.

This has been one of Fernandez' generally recognized proclivities and a quirk which he had developed during his later years, wherein he never goes to church in any other place nor province except in the Basilica del Sto.

He eventually lost to Princess Porti Pacasum of Lanao, Philippines, the daughter of one of its biggest transport companies despite being the favored candidate to win.

Knowing that the Marcos government is behind Pacasum and realizing their influence, Fernandez didn’t continue filing the election protest and headed back to Davao City a disillusioned man.

The observation trip was cut short when he suffered a pulmonary heart attack in Chicago and was soon flown back to the Philippines by TUCP/KMP after being hospitalized for a brief period there.

Fernandez, with his health in decline and defiant of his doctors' wishes continued with his labor efforts and was still active in DPGTWU and TUCP/KMP in late 1978 and early 1979.