California Farmers & Businesses Praise Governor's Veto of Assembly Bill 2386

Governor Protects Farmworkers' Rights by Killing Card-Check Proposal

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct 01, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- A coalition of business and agricultural organizations today applauded Governor Schwarzenegger's veto of Assembly Bill 2386 (Nunez), which they said would have imposed a card-check program on farmworkers and eliminated their right to a secret ballot.

"We are extremely pleased that the Governor saw this bill for exactly what it was: an assault on democracy and the rights of farmworkers to cast their union votes in private," said Barry Bedwell, president of the California Grape & Tree Fruit League, a coalition member. "He has preserved California's carefully constructed labor law that has evolved over the past three decades."

In his veto message, the Governor echoed the concerns of farmers and the business community, saying that the bill "unnecessarily compromises the workers' right to privacy protected by the existing secret ballot process."

"The UFW will undoubtedly continue to characterize this legislation as something other than an attempt to take away the right of workers to vote their conscience in secret," said Dave Puglia, Sr. Vice President for Western Growers. "The Governor clearly recognized the threat AB 2386 posed to worker privacy and to the integrity of representation elections. His veto appropriately cuts through the UFW's euphemistic description of 'mediated elections' that in fact would bear no resemblance to the elections Californians are accustomed to."

The Governor has made a clear statement that the current system works and that union voting has nothing to do with worker safety, said Bedwell, who added that California agriculture is committed to improving existing safeguards for the state's farmworkers.

"The industry looks forward to working with the Administration and regulators to boost enforcement and education efforts intended to protect and promote the safety of our farmworkers," he said.

The coalition opposed to AB 2386 includes: the Agricultural Council of California; Allied Grape Growers; California Association of Winegrape Growers; California Chamber of Commerce; California Dairies, Inc.; California Farm Bureau Federation; California Grape & Tree Fruit League; California Grain and Feed Association; California Citrus Mutual; Family Winemakers of California; Grower Shipper Association of Central California; Grower-Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties; Nisei Farmers League; Ventura County Agricultural Association; Western Growers; Western United Dairymen; Wine Institute; California Grocers Association; California Restaurant Association; California Hospital Association; California Business Properties Association; California Hotel and Lodging Association; California Independent Grocers Association, California Retailers Association; California Manufacturers and Technology Association; National Federation of Independent Business and the Western Electrical Contractors Association.