California’s Agricultural Labor Relations Board will soon approve new regulations to implement AB 113, Governor Gavin Newsom’s controversial labor deal on card check.
During bill hearings this year, farm groups pointed out a worker’s signature could be used in a union election ballot up to a year later. AB 113 was silent on whether that worker could revoke the signature. But the California Farm Bureau is charging that ALRB’s interpretation goes too far beyond the legislation on this issue.
During an ALRB hearing Wednesday, Carl Borden, senior counsel at the farm bureau, argued the proposed regulations would make a signature irrevocable, conflicting with federal labor law, and worried that ALRB considers the signature a vote—even if it is filed a year later and the worker’s job or view on unions has changed.
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Borden requested that new ballot signatures nullify the old ones. He also called for language on cards explaining that workers can revoke their authorization and wanted a form on ALRB’s website to do so.
United Farm Workers contends AB 113 did not allow for revoking signatures and any effort to “weaken the standards” would violate the law and harm worker rights.
An ALRB attorney believed that other provisions require workers to be on the payroll when a union submits a petition.
