A California state appeals court has upheld a law allowing a mediator to impose the terms of an initial labor contract if a grower and its employees can't reach an agreement ? a ruling that could increase the clout of farm unions in California. Labor leaders said the ruling would force growers to end what they called a pattern of delaying tactics to avoid signing bargaining agreements.
See "Mediator Can Impose Terms of Labor Pact", Jerry Hirsch, Los Angeles Times, July 6, 2006