The owners of a farm that employs migrant workers from Mexico are asking the Manitoba Labour Board to review its recent landmark decision to unionize the workers.

In a decision last month, the labour board certified the United Food and Commercial Workers at Mayfair Farms near Portage la Prairie, making its approximately 60 employees the first unionized group of foreign farm workers in Canada.

Ryan Savage, one of the lawyers representing Mayfair Farms, says if the board sticks to its decision, the owners of the farm may pursue the matter in court.

"It'll depend in part on what happens with their request for reconsideration and the reasons for that, and also our assessment of our chances of success if we file an application for judicial review," he said.

The union applied for certification at Mayfair Farms in September 2006, saying more than 65 per cent of the workers had signed union cards, which under Manitoba law entitles the group to automatic union certification.

Mayfair Farms argues the case fell under federal jurisdiction because the workers are brought to Canada through a federal program. 

In its decision, the board determined the provincial Labour Relations Act did apply to the workers and Mayfair Farms was their employer.

Last October, 43 of the workers signed statements saying they had been misled by union organizers and did not want to join the union. However, the labour board rejected their objections.