23-1381. Declaration of policy

It is hereby declared to be the policy of this state that the uninterrupted production, packing, processing, transporting and marketing of agricultural products are vital to the public interest. It is also declared to be the policy of this state that agricultural employees are free to organize, to take concerted action and, through representatives of their own choosing, to enter into collective bargaining contracts establishing their wages and terms and conditions of employment or to refrain from engaging in any or all of these activities. It is further declared that there now exists an inequality of bargaining power between agricultural employers and labor unions, arising out of the seasonal character and perishable nature of such agricultural products, the mobility of agricultural labor and the fundamental differences between agriculture and industry. While the right to strike is a basic right of organized labor, such right must take into account the perishable character and the seasonal nature of agricultural products and must be limited and regulated accordingly. It is the intent of the legislature to provide a means to bargain collectively that is fair and equitable to agricultural employers, labor organizations and employees, to provide orderly election procedures to resolve questions concerning representation of agricultural employees and to declare that certain acts are unfair labor practices that are prohibited and that are subject to control by the police power of this state. The overriding special interest of this state with respect to certain secondary boycott activities originating in this state, but extending across state lines and directed at employers in other states, must be recognized, and such acts must be made unlawful and subject to control by the police power of this state.