California has passed a new law that will certify union elections for farmworkers if the Agricultural Labor Relations Board finds that growers used threats or intimidation towards workers. The United Farm Workers says that the law is a step in the right direction, but that it does not solve the problem of intimidation. The Governor vetoed a bill that would have allowed card-check elections earlier this year. The Board says that they would have to find pervasive threats, discharges or other actions to certify the elections, but growers say that the laws will make it more difficult for them. It is unclear how much of an effect the law will have, with only 27,000 of California?s 460,000 agricultural workers organized.
See "CA has new law to stop intimidation of farmworkers", Gosnia Wozniacka, October 10, 2011