Glass House Brands, a major cannabis company in California, has announced significant changes to its labor practices following a large-scale immigration raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 10. The raid, which took place at the company’s facilities in Camarillo and Carpinteria, resulted in the death of one worker and the detention of over 360 individuals, including 14 minors, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
In response, Glass House has ended its contracts with the farm labor contractors who supplied workers to the raided sites and has implemented new labor practices that exceed legal requirements. The company has hired Guidepost Services, a consultancy led by former ICE director Julie Myers Wood, to help verify employment eligibility. Additionally, Glass House has signed a “labor peace” agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
The company aims to prevent future incidents like the July 10 raid, during which federal agents used tear gas and detained numerous individuals. According to Newsweek, Glass House stated that only nine of its direct employees were detained, and none were minors. The rest were either workers from labor contractors or unrelated individuals.
Despite these changes, some farm labor advocates remain skeptical. Lucas Zucker, co-executive director of the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy, criticized the company for allegedly using labor contractors to avoid accountability. He expressed concerns that farmworkers would suffer the consequences of these new policies.
As Glass House moves forward with its revised employment framework, the broader cannabis industry in California is watching closely. The raid has raised fears that the federal government’s stance on cannabis, legal in California but not federally, may be shifting. Meanwhile, the company is committed to ensuring all workers receive their due wages, with payments authorized through the end of the day of the raid, as noted by the company’s press release.
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