Farmworker union fights against secret ballots

Sacramento Bee ^ | 5/14/7 | E.J. Schultz

[SmithL]

Labor officials say process allows firms to intimidate, but industry leaders call bill 'undemocratic.'

With the farm labor movement in its infancy, legendary organizer Cesar Chavez won a major victory in 1975 with the passage of a state law that guaranteed secret ballot elections for farmworker unions.

Now the union Chavez helped found is fighting against secret ballots, claiming the process allows for company intimidation -- and ultimately, union losses.

A bill backed by the United Farm Workers union would allow for workers to sign cards instead of cast ballots in union elections. If a majority of workers sign up, the union would be certified almost immediately.

Senate Bill 180 was authored by Carole Migden, D-San Francisco.

"Farmworkers' lives are hard enough -- this will make the process easier for them to express themselves," said Richie Ross, a UFW lobbyist.

But industry leaders say the legislation is "undemocratic."

"It infringes on the very fundamental right of the farmworker to a secret ballot," said Barry Bedwell, president of the California Grape & Tree Fruit League. "I don't believe you correct a perceived injustice by creating a bigger injustice and taking away the employee's rights."

The right to secret ballots is cemented in the 1975 Agricultural Labor Relations Act. In the wake of the law, farm unions had great success securing union contracts. But organizers have been stung by losses in recent years.

Farm unions, including the UFW, won only a little more than half of all elections -- 73 of 132 -- between 1990 and October 2005, according to data from the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, which oversees elections.

Labor leaders, in part, blame the process. Farmworkers wishing to join a union must first submit a petition signed by a majority of employees. The ALRB must then hold a secret ballot election within seven days.

[SmithL]

Secret ballots are now undemocratic in this worker's paradise?

[Bob]

Secret ballots are now undemocratic in this worker's paradise?

Open ballots were once used by employers to intimidate workers into rejecting the union. (And that's just not right.) Now, they'll be able to be used to intimidate workers into joining the union. (But that's OK.)

That sounds perfectly reasonable to me. </sarcasm>

[wideawake]

Secret ballots are now undemocratic in this worker's paradise?

You have to look at it from their point of view: if there is a secret ballot and someone votes against the union, how are you going to know whose tires to slash and whose children to threaten?

If the secret ballot is abolished, no pro-union employees will be accidentally and embarassingly targeted.

[agere_contra]

Labor leaders, in part, blame the process.

Of course they do. Everyone signs the signup form, but no-one ends up voting for the obtensibly popular union.

Why is this? Because the signup form is open, but the actual vote is secret, and therefore not subject to intimidation.

[aimhigh]

There’s a similar bill working it’s way through the Oregon legislature. People gave testimony of being harrassed by phone and at home on Sundays by union people who wouldn’t leave unless they signed the cards.

[traviskicks]

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