Federal judge orders Foster Farms to recognize poultry plant union

News from the San Joaquin Valley
Associated Press
Posted on Fri, Apr. 07, 2006

LIVINGSTON, Calif. (AP) - Foster Farms must recognize a union at one of
its poultry processing plants and work out a new labor contract with
the group, a federal judge ordered.

Union leaders claimed that the company unfairly demoted people who
supported an alliance between the Independent Workers of the San
Joaquin Valley and the larger International Association of Machinists
and Aerospace Workers. The smaller group organized walkouts of
thousands of workers at the company's Livingston plant last year. The
workers and the company, which employs more than 3,000 people in Merced
County, have been in a contract dispute for months.

One point of contention is whether workers would be required to join the
small union, which the company opposed.

"We'll go back into bargaining, we'll bargain in good faith, and we'll
see what results from those negotiations," said Tim Walsh, a spokesman
for the company.