Efforts to unionize cannabis continue to grow in several states
By Andrew Ward
Cannabis workers continue to unionize in several states.
The latest example came on Tuesday when the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) announced that cannabis growers at Cresco / Sunnyside in Fall River, Massachusetts have voted overwhelmingly to have their first union agreement approved.
Add photo of weed via Unsplash
The UFCW 328 Collective bargaining agreement ensures guaranteed salary increases, fair working time regulations, offers important job protection and strengthens retirement provisions and employee discounts. Cresco cultivation workers will see a salary increase of up to 18.7% over the next three years.
Molly Balbuena, a three-year-old Cresco employee in Fall River and a member of the negotiating team, said she was proud that her colleagues stuck together.
“We are delighted to have secured the brighter future and collective voice we were looking for when we formed our union with UFCW. We urge all cannabis workers to come together and say yes to Union! “
On Monday the UFCW Local 5 in Californiaannounced that it has unionized its first workers in the cannabis industry in an agreement that includes over 500 cannabis manufacturers and laboratory workers from companies based in Santa Rosa CannaCraft manufacturing and Sonoma lab is working.
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On June 15, 2021, 39 farm workers in Adelanto, California California Tikun Olam Cannbit Pharmaceuticals Ltd (TLV: TKUN) agreed to join Teamsters Local 1932. The Teamsters said it was “the Agricultural Labor Relations Board’s first election victory for cannabis workers in Southern California.”
Pandemic is fueling cannabis union efforts across America
Cannabis unionization efforts have been going on for about a decade, with the UFCW believed to be the leader of the movement.
Incremental and notable milestones have been reached, including the unions of Philadelphia workers in 2019 Pennsylvania Medical Solutions, a subsidiary of GOODNESS GROWTH HLDGS INC. (OTC: GDNSF).
Photo by FatCamera / Getty Images
The pandemic led to a surge in efforts in various states. MJBizDaily reports that the surge was caused by job security fears, increased union protection and unions’ more aggressive alignment with the industry.
This year, agreements were made in several states, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Colorado.
RELATED: Why Unions Might Hit The Cannabis Industry Soon Enough
In February ten members from Somerville, Massachusetts’ Liberty cannabis joined UFCW Local 1445 in February 2021.
In April, workers were working in Portsmouth, Rhode Island Island Greenleaf Center for Sensitive Care joined UFCW Local 32.
In May, employees in Longmont, Colorado joined Union harvest and Root laboratories of nature also agreed to join UFCW.
The Colorado Accord is considered “a first of its kind, a fully unionized CBD joint venture that sets a precedent for more workers in the industry to unionize,” according to a UFCW press release.
This article originally appeared on Benzinga and was republished with permission.
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