The State - News from Dec. 31, 1985

The state farm labor board overturned a nearly 4-year-old United Farm Workers’ election victory, ruling that voting was marred by an “atmosphere of fear and coercion” created by threats from pro-union workers. In a 3-2 decision, the panel set aside an earlier ruling and refused to certify the UFW as the bargaining agent for employees of T. Ito & Sons Farms, a Westminster-based grower. The board majority contended that some Ito workers may have been coerced into voting for the union by threats of violence and deportation. The board minority said the coercion issue was not raised when the board originally certified the election results in 1983 and complained that a reversal would jeopardize enforcement of California’s historic Farm Labor Act.