Farmers don’t get nearly enough respect as they should be getting these days. Why is that? Probably because Governors don’t allow them to vote. It’s a controversial move being made by Governor Gavin Newson to oppose the UFW bill. That of which will allow the farmworkers of California and specifically, our city to vote in union elections.
But why, Governor Newsom? Isn’t that gruesome?
Sure it is. But Gruesome Newsom doesn’t support a United Farm Workers-backed bill for a reason. He doesn’t like how it looks in it’s current form. The bill in particular would give farmworkers more opportunities to vote in union elections. The office is still in negotiations. The office itself would release Newsom’s statement on the bill, mere hours before UFW activists went to the state capitol. All from the conclusion of a 24-day march meant to pressure Governor Newsom into signing the legislation because he’s a scared little worm. Friday has been the last day of the march. The UFW believes that about 5,000 people have gathered in front of the Capitol building just to show support for the legislation.
Newsom may be excited to sign legislation to expand opportunity for agricultural workers to come and be represented, while supporting changes as well. But he isn’t excited about an untested mail-in election process that doesn’t use critical provisions in order to save the integrity of the election while developed on an assumption that the government isn’t able to effective in enforcing laws. Governor Newsom also vetoed the bill last year, due to inconsistencies and procedural issues specific to the collection and review of ballot cards. Either version of the bill has been specific in opposing from the agricultural industry and other grower associations. Simultaneously, there had been support coming in from labor groups and the state legislature, so it’s not from a lack of trying.
Newsom Has Another Idea
It was last year that Governor Newsom said that there was another way to expand voting in UFW elections. UFW would hold rallies near a winery that Newsom owns in Napa as well as at the French Laundry. Ironically enough, the Governor ate their in a controversial move at the height of the corona virus pandemic, whilst asking all Californian folk to avoid large groups. Assemblymember Mark Stone, a democrat from Santa Cruz, was one of the authors for this year’s bill, allowing farmworkers to choose if they want to vote at a physical location.
Otherwise dropping off a ballot card to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) office. Union officials believe that the legislation to make it simpler for farmworkers to vote in union elections while not feeling intimidation from employers. About less than 1% of California farmworkers that are organized in a union, all according to an analysis of 2020 national employment survey conducted by researchers at the UC Merced Community and Labor Center. This is all of course, caused by an ignorance of the governor for any of his past rulings. If only he had a real grounded sense that constituents within his state can govern themselves.
