On April 18, workers at Heritage Provisioning, a retail cannabis facility in Battle Creek, Mich., joined UFCW Local 951 for a better life. These hard-working men and women are the first group of cannabis workers to unionize in west Michigan.
Workers at the dispensary, who voted to join UFCW Local 951 unanimously, see union representation as a step in the right direction when it comes to a lasting career in an industry known for high employee turnover. They are looking forward to negotiating their first union contract.
“I’m really excited to be a part of something bigger than just myself,” said Riley Boles, a worker at Heritage Provisioning. “My dad is a union member and I’m proud to not only become one also, but to make history as the first UFCW Local 951 organized cannabis facility.”
“UFCW Local 951 is committed to raising the standards for all workers in this unique and rapidly developing industry,” said UFCW Local 951 President John Cakmakci. “We celebrate with the workers today and look forward to bargaining a contract that will give them the guarantees and protections in the workplace they deserve, along with competitive wages and quality health care. I’m excited and hopeful this will serve as a pathway to expanding union coverage to include more workers in the cannabis industry.”
Heritage Provisioning is owned and operated by Left Coast Holdings, which has multiple dispensaries throughout Michigan.