FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – 2,600 Gerawan farmworkers did vote overwhelmingly in 2013 to decertify the UFW as their union.
The ballots by workers were cast approximately five years ago to establish whether or not they wanted to be members of the UFW.
It was the end of May when the Fifth District Court of Appeal ruled that the State’s Agricultural Labor Relations Board must complete the process.
The ALRB said at the time that it was still considering whether a free and fair choice was prevented by Gerawan Farming.
The ALRB was present on Tuesday, monitoring the ballot count during the process at the Hugh Burns State Building Auditorium.
Votes by Gerawan Farming workers to leave were 1098, against 197 votes to remain out of 1948 total votes cast.
[Photo: Jim Patterson]
Assemblyman Jim Patterson was there at the count, sending out this statement: “If your vote truly is your voice, then today is proof that the voices of thousands of California farmworkers have been silenced for five years. The Governor of this state, the members of the Agriculture Labor Relations Board – chosen by him, and the United Farm Workers union, have done everything in their power to stop these votes from being counted. For the farmworkers who have continued the fight to have their votes counted after many defeats and disappointments – justice has finally been served. Their voices have been heard loud and clear.”
Click to hear the report by KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew.
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