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“Sham Unions”: Alleged Labor Law Violations Shake California’s Booming Cannabis Industry 

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Several major legal cannabis companies in California are facing allegations of violating state law by collaborating with and signing labor peace agreements with organizations claiming to be labor unions but who have failed to genuinely advocate for workers’ rights. According to California law, cannabis companies with over 20 employees are required to sign a labor peace agreement with a “bona fide labor organization”. These labor peace agreements facilitate a union’s access to employees. Labor peace agreements prevent unions from picketing or boycotting the business in exchange for the business agreeing not to disrupt union organizing efforts. However, several unions are alleging some of the largest cannabis companies in the state have attempted to skirt this law by signing labor peace agreements with an organization known as Professional Technical Union Local 33 (Pro-Tech).

The Teamsters Union filed a complaint with the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (CALRB) in March of this year, alleging that Pro-Tech was not a genuine labor organization. After conducting an investigation, the CALRB agreed with the Teamsters, finding that Pro-Tech has made no tangible efforts to organize or represent cannabis industry employees and even lacks a physical presence in the state.

At least 90 cannabis companies, including some of the largest in California, are alleged to have signed labor peace agreements with Pro-Tech and have recently had to scramble to make agreements with other labor unions. The implicated firms were provided with 180 days to establish new labor peace agreements by the California Department of Cannabis Control (CCDC).

Pro-Tech is not the only labor organization to face scrutiny. Another union, the National Agricultural Workers Union, has also recently faced similar allegations of being a “sham union” from the Teamsters.

California’s cannabis industry is significant, employing over 83,000 people in 2021. The CCDC has stated that it is working to enhance transparency regarding labor peace agreements to strengthen labor organizations’ ability to file complaints against non-compliant companies.

This news highlights the importance of having an experienced attorney review labor peace agreements that are required by CCDC. It is important to remember that the details of these agreements are subject to negotiation, and the difference between an enforceable agreement and a one-sided agreement that allows a union to engage in unfair or harassing organizational tactics can be easily overlooked. 

 



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Latina woman alleges she was denied job with cannabis nonprofit because she’s not Black

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A Latina from Lawndale is suing an organization that bills itself as fighting for “cannabis justice” with a goal to “heal the legacy of racism in America,” alleging she was told she was not chosen for a position with the nonprofit in 2023 because she is not Black.

Briseida Lupercio Chavez’s Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit against the Hood Incubator alleges racial discrimination, retaliation and wrongful failure to hire in violation of public policy. She seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

A Hood Incubator representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the suit brought Jan. 5.

According to the suit, the Hood Incubator’s website states its purpose is to fight for “cannabis justice” and to “heal the legacy of racism in America . . . for the health and prosperity” of everyone.

“However, despite its stated vision of being an anti-racist organization, its blatantly discriminatory hiring practices could not be more contradictory to its stated purpose,” the suit states.

Chavez interviewed for a position with the Hood Incubator via Zoom last July with two organization representatives, one of whom is a managing agent, the suit states. The two representatives remained on the Zoom call after the interview and spent 10 minutes talking about why they were  not interested in hiring Chavez because she is not Black, the suit states.

Both representatives mocked Chavez’s race and for saying she had biracial children, telling the plaintiff they found her comments “off- putting” and falsely implying that she only claims to care about Black people because she has Black kids and friends,” according to the suit.

One of the representatives told Chavez that because she is a Latina, she is used to the Latino community “pulling strings for each other,” the suit states.

Chavez was “embarrassed, ashamed, emotionally broken and in financial desperation” after learning that she was not hired allegedly due to her race, national origin and/or color,” the suit states.

Latina woman alleges she was denied job with cannabis nonprofit because she’s not Black

 



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Man allegedly killed roommate, went back to sleep and bought some cannabis before others implored him to call 911

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It is, of course, a law & crime story..

A Maryland man insisted that he shot his roommate in self-defense, but admitted he only called 911 after going back to sleep, buying some marijuana, and communicating with people who implored him to contact authorities, according to court documents obtained by Washington, D.C., NBC affiliate WRC and Fox affiliate WTTG.

Richard Bennaugh, 38, is charged with manslaughter, assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, and possession of a firearm as someone convicted of a violent felony, show from Prince George’s County show.

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‘There’s only one way to find out’: Man allegedly killed roommate, went back to sleep and bought some weed before others implored him to call 911



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Illegal immigrant cannabis farmer, 30, is allowed to remain in Britain – because being sent back to Serbia would breach his human rights

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The Daily Mail get over excited once again…

A migrant who was jailed over a cannabis farm worth half a million pounds has been granted permission to stay in the UK after successfully arguing he could not be deported as he no longer spoke his native language.

Clirim Kukaj, 30, is ethnically Albanian but was born and brought up in Serbia until at the age of 13 he entered Britain illegally. Seven years later he was granted indefinite leave to remain.

Kukaj and his lawyers have now successfully appealed his deportation on the grounds that returning him to his native country would be a breach of his human rights because he cannot speak the language and can only converse in Albanian.

Immigrational tribunal judge Fiona Lindsley granted the appeal ‘on human rights grounds’, however, the decision has sparked renewed calls for human rights laws to be reconsidered.

A senior Conservative MP told the Telegraph: ‘This demonstrates why we need urgent reform of the asylum system and human rights laws to allow the rapid and effective deportation of dangerous criminals.’

More Blah here

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12941079/Migrant-cannabis-farmer-allowed-remain-Britain-human-right-no-longer-speak-language.html



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