2025 Convention Resolution Five: Supporting Farm Laborers

RESOLUTION #5

RESOLUTION ON AGRICULTURAL AND IMMIGRANT WORKERS

WHEREAS: Since 1935, agricultural workers have been excluded from the National Labor Relations Act, which deprives them of a legal framework to organize unions.

WHEREAS: All labor reforms since then have continued to exclude farmworkers.

WHEREAS: FLOC has created a national precedent in achieving an alternative framework by private agreement when, in 2004, a successful boycott of the Mt Olive Pickle Company and a subsequent collective bargaining agreement was brokered with the North Carolina Growers Association covering some 5000 workers on nearly 500 farms.

WHEREAS: Since 2004, the collective bargaining agreement now covers over 600 farms and some 9000 workers.

WHEREAS: From the beginning anti-union forces have sought to destroy FLOC and undermine future unionizing efforts. These forces include the NC Right to Work law, direct legal attacks and interference from the National Right to Work Foundation, the North Carolina General Assembly that legislated NC Agricultural Right to Work and Senate Bill 615 that halted payroll dues deductions. Senate Bill 615 caused the loss of almost half of employers remitting dues to the union. The attempts have been numerous and many other anti-union enemies continue to denigrate and undermine the collective-bargaining process.

WHEREAS: The current national policy of mass deportations and the dismantling of the protective measures of the H2A program are now putting  all FLOC members in North Carolina at risk and threatening to end collective bargaining altogether!

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the NC State AFL-CIO and our affiliates do all in our power to reverse Senate Bill 615 and support FLOC in its efforts to preserve its CBA agreement from attacks and interference from the Right to Work Foundation and all other enemies of FLOC’s collective bargaining agreement.

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the NC State AFL-CIO and its affiliates support FLOC’s efforts to bring about a new amnesty under proper immigration reform and defend the adjudication process of refugees, asylees, TPS, parolees and trafficking victims.

Submitted by Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC), AFL-CIO

Adopted September 12, 2025