One of California's most influential agricultural companies, the Wonderful Co., has filed a lawsuit against the state to challenge a law aimed at assisting farmworkers in unionizing. The law, signed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom two years ago, allows farmworkers to unionize by collecting a majority of signatures without holding an election at a polling place.
The Wonderful Co., a $6 billion company known for products like Halos mandarin oranges and Wonderful Pistachios, is currently in a dispute with the United Farm Workers over a newly formed UFW local of 640 workers at one of its businesses.
California, a major producer of the country's produce, established a law in 1975 to protect farmworkers' right to unionize, following the efforts of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. However, farmworker unionization has declined significantly over the years, with few workers currently organized in California.
Wonderful argues that the law is unconstitutional as it excludes employers from the unionization process. The company claims that the lack of a secret ballot under the law makes workers vulnerable to coercion by unions and elections susceptible to fraud.
The law requires employers to engage in collective bargaining within 90 days once a union is certified. Wonderful is seeking an injunction to halt the law's enforcement until its constitutionality is determined by the court.
The United Farm Workers criticized the lawsuit, stating that Wonderful is attempting to undermine the law that protects farmworkers' rights. The case is being heard before an administrative law judge, with testimony from workers ongoing.
Before signing the law, Gov. Newsom had vetoed similar legislation, citing concerns about the voting process. However, he signed the law in 2022 after President Biden expressed support for the change, emphasizing farmworkers' right to organize.
The lawsuit highlights the ongoing debate over farmworker unionization in California and the challenges faced by both employers and workers in the agricultural industry.
