But he defended the action as good public policy. The ALRB, which has a controversial history, investigates and rules on complaints of unfair agricultural labor practices, and conducts union representation elections. Farm worker union officials and sympathetic legislators, after what they portray as many years of neglect and unfairness under two Republican administrations, have said they hope that the new Democratic governor will quickly use his appointment powers to reshape the board membership and therefore its actions. GOP-appointed board employees have defended their actions as fair. But Davis, who took office Jan. 4, has yet to make permanent appointments to the board.
State law prohibits ALRB board members from holding other jobs.
Two Wilson appointees remain on the ALRB board. Another Wilson appointee, Grace Trujillo Daniel, had an expired term but by state law was authorized to remain temporarily on the board until Davis named a replacement. Thus, Wilson's appointees could have had a three-member majority and taken action. With the resignations of the interim appointees, the board now has just two Wilson-appointed members and can't legally do business until Davis makes new appointments, according to sources close to the board. Bustamante said Davis was busy working on hundreds of applications for appointments to state posts and that permanent ALRB appointments would be made later.