01/21/2025 New Victory in New York: UFW Certified At Golden Harvest Apple Farm

Albany, NY - Today, the UFW announced its latest organizing victory in New York State at Golden Harvest Farms, an apple producer in Columbia County, New York, immediately south of Albany. The New York State PERB ruled on January 17th, 2025, that the UFW was certified as the sole collective bargaining representative of the over 50 agricultural workers at Golden Harvest Farm, following an overwhelming majority of the workers choosing to join the UFW. The PERB further dismissed the objections to the certification filed by Golden Harvest and ordered Golden Harvest to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with the UFW.

"The UFW is proud to represent the skilled and experienced workers who make Golden Harvest's operations possible," said UFW Secretary Treasurer Armando Elenes. "We look forward to negotiating a fair union contract with Golden Harvest that improves the experiences of their workers and secures an ethical and local supply of apples for the Albany area for years to come. We hope Golden Harvest will negotiate in good faith and respect the desire of the overwhelming majority of its workers for a union. Particular attention will be paid in negotiations to the poor conditions experienced by many workers in employer-provided housing. It is imperative that the workers who pick New York apples be afforded clean and dignified housing, in addition to fair wages and working conditions."

The UFW victory at Golden Harvest is the 8th UFW certification in the State of New York, and the first of 2025, continuing the UFW's historic organizing campaign on the East Coast. Hundreds of workers predominantly from Jamaica and Mexico, with smaller numbers from other countries as well as several U.S.-born workers, including both locals who live year-round in the United States and workers coming seasonally on H-2A visas, have organized with the UFW since 2023.

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