A Wayne County Supreme Court judge has upheld a ruling certifying the United Farm Workers (UFW) as the bargaining representative for laborers at Wafler Farms, rejecting the farm’s latest attempt to block the union.
Justice Richard Healy found that the state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) acted properly when it certified UFW following a three-year dispute. Wafler Farms had challenged the union’s recognition through multiple appeals and seven failed requests for stays.
“This ruling marks a victory for farm workers and reaffirms the bargaining rights established under the State’s landmark Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act,” said PERB Chair Timothy Connick.
Healy also declined to overturn a two-year arbitration award issued earlier this year, ruling that Wafler Farms had ample notice and opportunities to participate in the process.
The case is one of the earliest major tests of New York’s farmworker labor law, which expanded collective bargaining rights in 2020. It is not yet clear whether Wafler Farms will continue to appeal or begin negotiations with UFW.
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