California Agricultural Labor Relations Act

The California Agricultural Labor Relations Act (CALRA) was enacted in 1975 to address labor relations in California's agricultural sector. This act was a significant development, particularly in the context of the efforts led by Cesar Chavez, who spearheaded a five-year strike and boycott of California grapes starting in 1965. The CALRA aimed to provide agricultural workers with the right to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activities for their mutual aid or protection. It established the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) to oversee elections and prevent unfair labor practices, thereby seeking to bring a more structured and equitable framework to the often contentious relationship between farmworkers and growers in California.12