| California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| California State Legislature | |
| Full name | California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975 |
| Acronym | CALRA |
| Introduced | April 10, 1975 |
| Signed into law | June 4, 1975 |
| Governor | Jerry Brown |
Status: Current legislation (amended) | |
The California Agricultural Labor Relations Act (CALRA) [note 1] is a landmark[2] statute in United States labor law that was enacted by the state of California in 1975,[3] establishing the right to collective bargaining for farmworkers in that state, a first in U.S. history.[4]
The goal of the Act is to "ensure peace in the agricultural fields by guaranteeing justice for all agricultural workers and stability in labor relations."[5] The Act, part of the California Labor Code, explicitly encourages and protects "the right of agricultural employees to full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, to negotiate the terms and conditions of their employment, and to be free from the interference, restraint, or coercion of employers of labor, or their agents, in the designation of such representatives or in self-organization or in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection."[6]
The Act established rules and authorized regulations similar to those of National Labor Relations Act, a federal law which formally protected the collective bargaining rights of most American workers except farm and domestic workers.[7] The California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) administers the Act. The ALRB has two functions: To conduct, oversee, and certify representation elections, and to investigate unfair labor practice (ULP) charges and pursue remedies.[4] Administrative law judges and agency staff adjudicate most cases, with the five-member Board serving as a final arbiter.[4]
- ^ Gerald A. Brown, Chairman (January 24, 1978). "First Annual Report of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board for the fiscal years ended June 30, 1976, and June 30, 1977" (PDF). Retrieved July 25, 2017.
- ^ Editorial. "Farm Workers’ Rights, 70 Years Overdue." New York Times. April 5, 2009.
- ^ "Governor Signs Historic Farm Labor Legislation." Los Angeles Times. June 5, 1975.
- ^ a b c Hurt, R. Douglas. American Agriculture: A Brief History. Lafayette, Ind.: Purdue University Press, 2002. ISBN 1-55753-281-8
- ^ Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, Cal.Stats. 1975, Third Extraordinary Session, c. 1 Sec. 1 at 4013.
- ^ Agricultural Labor Relations Act. California Labor Code. Division 2, Part 3.5, Section 1140.2.
- ^ Higgins, John E. and Janus, Peter A. The Developing Labor Law: The Board, the Courts, and the National Labor Relations Act. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: BNA Books, 2006. ISBN 1-57018-585-9
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