Catherwood LibraryILR School

A new bill was passed in California last week that would change farm workers' chances of organizing. The bill would automatically form a union if employer misconduct was shown in an election. The present law has workers sign authorization cards for a secret ballot. If the law passes, when employer misconduct is shown, the authorization cards are taken as proof of a desire to form a union. Opponents say that the bill will invalidate secret ballot elections and that there is not a large amount of employer misconduct. Advocates say that this law will address employer misconduct, and that trying to have another election after one case of employer misconduct opens up the workers to intimidation and more misconduct. For the bill to become law the governor has to sign it, an outcome that is tenuous.