Rochester, New York – On August 3rd, 2023, the New York Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) issued a denial of Wafler Farm’s request to stay the May 11 certification of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) and the PERB’s order to negotiate a contract. This follows the UFW’s previous filing for impasse with Wafler Farms. In light of repeated attempts to drag out negotiations with bad faith bargaining, retaliatory actions against workers, and other unfair labor practices by Wafler Farms, the UFW’s decision to file for impasse represents the union’s commitment to negotiating union contracts as speedily as possible. Wafler Farms is a major apple producer in Wolcott, New York, and is one of 5 farms in New York the UFW is certified to represent.
“The UFW is proud to represent hundreds of farm workers in the State of New York,” said UFW Secretary-Treasurer Armando Elenes. “We call on all agricultural employers to stop playing legal games to strip workers’ of their right under New York law to union representation, and to instead bargain in good faith for fair contracts. The UFW wants nothing more than for both New York family farms and the immigrant farm workers from Mexico, Jamaica, and elsewhere who are the backbone of New York agriculture to prosper and benefit from their enormous contributions to our nation’s food security. But first, Wafler Farms and other agricultural employers must begin by at the very least recognizing the democratic choice of their workers to union representation. We hope further litigation before the PERB will not be necessary.”
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