FRESNO - Thousands of farmworkers have asked the California Supreme Court to protect their rights. Even though the Court of Appeals ordered that the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board count the workers' votes, the agency still wants to destroy the ballots and instead force a non-negotiated "contract" on the workers; a contract the workers don't want and won't even be allowed to vote on.
The Jerry Brown-staffed agency created the "contract" it tried to force on the workers, which would have lowered their wages and required them to suddenly pay to keep their jobs or be fired. "We never had to pay to keep our jobs before, now they tell us we will be fired if we don't pay," said Farm Labor Leader Silvia Lopez.