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Debate over granting collective‑bargaining rights to farmworkers pits organizers against growers
Summary
Supporters told the committee House Bill 24‑09 would give farmworkers a legal route to collective bargaining and interest arbitration; growers and farm groups opposed the bill citing narrow harvest windows, economic stress, and risks from strikes or broad certification rules.
House Bill 24‑09, proposing a state framework for collective bargaining for agricultural employees, produced sharply divided testimony in the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee.
Sponsor Representative Charlotte Mena said the bill “gives ag workers a collective voice and a clear process to address unsafe conditions, unfair treatment, and retaliation,” framing the proposal as an extension of basic labor rights to a historically excluded workforce.
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