Attorneys for Gerardo Sanguino have filed a lawsuit against Threemile Canyon Farms alleging wrongful firing.
The suit claims Sanguino was fired in retaliation for refusing to sign an anti-union petition and joining with co-workers in asking for a raise.
The firing came less than two weeks after the farm agreed to allow United Farm Workers to conduct a union representation campaign, giving the union on-farm access to workers before and after work and during breaks.
The agreement also stipulated the farm would not discipline or terminate workers involved in the campaign.
Len Bergstein, a spokesman for the farm, said he wasn't aware of the circulation of an anti-union petition.
"We're committed to making this card-check system work," Bergstein said. "We're committed to following the terms of the agreement."
Under the agreement, the union has 120 days to gather signatures of at least 51 percent of the farm's workers to obtain union bargaining power.
The lawsuit is the eighth case brought against the farm in recent years, including six pending in which litigants allege a variety of claims, including wrongful firing, sexual discrimination against women and failure to pay overtime.
Sanguino's claim seeks unspecified damages and immediate reinstatement at the farm.
