Unionization conflict heats up between UFW and Wonderful

The unionization dispute between the United Farm Workers and local ag giant The Wonderful Co. escalated Wednesday with an anti-union demonstration in Visalia that roughly coincided with a complaint the union filed alleging the company coerced its employees to take part in the event.

Dozens of Wonderful Co. workers dressed in orange reflective vests protested in front of the offices of the Ag Labor Relations Board offices along Walnut Avenue, some holding posters saying “We don’t want a union.” Videos posted online showed some accusing the Keene-based labor union of tricking them into signing up for union representation.

Meanwhile, the UFW filed what’s called an unfair labor charge with the ALRB saying managers at Wonderful Nurseries in Wasco, or their agents, forced employees to attend the event and threatened to expose them as union supporters if they refused.

“The effort to intimidate pro-union workers and coerce workers into attending this company-instigated anti-union demonstration is a gross violation of farm workers’ labor rights,” the union said in a news release.

Wonderful denied the accusation in a statement Wednesday, saying the workers went of their own accord, giving up pay to protest and say they did not want to be part of any collective bargaining or organizing effort.

“And, rather than expressing any shame about their behavior, the UFW instead tried to deflect onto Wonderful, which remains the only ones trying to protect farmworkers as opposed to the UFW or the ALRB,” the company stated.

Earlier this month, the ALRB-certified UFW narrowly prevailed in a yearlong campaign to represent more than 600 employees of Wonderful Nurseries LLC. As a result, the company is required to negotiate its first union labor contract.

But the company hopes to reverse the board’s decision. It has filed declarations by 148 employees, many of whom said they signed UFW union authorization cards only because they were offered $600 payments that turned out to have been pandemic recovery checks paid for by the federal government.

Some said they didn’t know they were agreeing to union representation, and that they object to being required to pay a portion of their paychecks to the union. Others say they did know they were signing up to join the UFW but insist they were told they had to sign if they wanted the money.

The UFW has denied deceiving the workers. It has countered the company coerced its employees to sign the declarations.

On Wednesday, the ALRB denied the company’s motion to reconsider its certification that UFW represents employees of Wonderful Nurseries. It was unclear what the move means for the company’s continuing efforts to challenge the unionization effort, however, and ALRB representatives declined to address emailed questions about Wonderful’s appeal, other than to say the process is not over.

The board said in a statement Wednesday it is committed to following the law and “ensuring a fair process for everyone.”

“The ALRB is diligently investigating the claims in this matter,” it stated. “A hearing is also underway where all parties will have the opportunity to be heard.”