SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's state Legislature on Monday passed a bill that would give farm workers an alternative to secret ballots in deciding whether to join a union.
The Assembly approved SB104 on a 51-25, party-line vote Monday. It would allow field laborers to organize by submitting a petition to the state instead of holding a secret-ballot election.
Workers would sign and turn in state-issued representation cards. If the state determined the cards had been signed by a majority of workers, the union would be certified without holding an election.
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The legislation was passed previously in the Senate and now goes to Gov. Jerry Brown.
Supporters said workers are susceptible to intimidation during on-site elections. But proponents say the bill will make it easier to unionize, and that eventually would drive up food prices.
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