Demonstrators and counter-demonstrators gathered outside a hearing in downtown Bakersfield on Wednesday The Bakersfield Californian reported.

Wonderful Co. Asks Judge to Halt Union Card-Check Law

The Wonderful Co. asked a judge to halt a union card-check law, claiming it’s being misused by the United Farm Workers union.

UFW supporters assembled in front of the Kern County Superior Courthouse, while Wonderful employees lined up nearby.

The company argued that the state should not enforce the labor organizing tool authorized by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2022, following a UFW march from Delano to the state Capitol.

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UFW and Wonderful Co. Employees Have Differing Views

UFW supporter Cynthia Burgos, draped in the UFW union flag, stated they wanted to join a union without employer intimidation and emphasized the importance of farmworkers’ voices. Conversely, Wonderful employee Irma Rubia praised her working conditions, saying she and many colleagues were happy.

Wonderful seeks to stop its first labor contract with UFW and pause a hearing before the Agricultural Labor Relations Board. The ALRB certified UFW’s representation of over 600 workers at Wonderful’s nursery in Wasco, but the company claims workers were misled into signing union cards. UFW argues the law protects employees from employer intimidation.

If Wonderful’s lawsuit succeeds, the law could be declared unconstitutional. The ALRB and the state Attorney General’s Office have not commented on the case.

Read more at The Bakersfield Californian.