<p> The results of Gerawan Farming’s election to potentially remove the United Farm Workers union as its labor bargaining representative may not be known for weeks, or longer.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Farmworkers across Gerawan’s job sites in Fresco County voted all day on Tuesday to decide the fate of the UFW, yet the state’s Agriculture Labor Relations Board impounded the ballots in its Visalia office to investigate unfair labor practices against Gerawan, according to The Fresno Bee. The board originally overturned the decision to investigate these claims in order to allow the election to move forward.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Ron Barsamian, an attorney for Gerawan, said it could be months before these complaints are investigated. Among the allegations is whether Gerawan tried to exclude farm labor contractor employees from the bargaining unit.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Gerawan workers opposed the UFW union because many weren’t around when the UFW won an election to represent them more than 20 years ago. During bargaining sessions in January 2013, the UFW proposed that employees be required to pay 3% of their wages to the UFW or be fired, further sparking opposition from workers.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Nevertheless, UFW spokeswoman Maria Machuca claims that many Gerawan workers are supportive of the union. “Gerawan workers have asked the UFW to seek all legal relief available and to file objections to the election so that they can enjoy the benefits of a recently ordered contract that would give workers immediate wage increases and other protections they have fought so long for.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Barsamian said that after the ballots are collected, they will be stored under careful supervision from union witnesses, the company, and the employees to ensure there is no tampering.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue following the election results. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.prima.com/news" target="_new"> Gerawan Farming </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/11/05/3591955/gerawans-ufw-election-results.html" target="_new"> The Fresno Bee </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
