America’s Largest Cannabis Workers Union Reaches Historic Agreement to Unionize CBD Joint Venture’s Workforce Across Manufacturing, Packaging, Sales, and Consumer Education as Industry Continues to Fuel Economic Growth Nationwide
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), which represents 1.3 million essential food and retail workers and is America’s largest cannabis workers union, announced with Union Harvest and Nature’s Root Labs the first-ever national agreement to unionize the entire workforce of a joint cannabis venture. Today’s agreement between UFCW and these companies in Longmont, Colorado marks a first of its kind, across-the-board unionized CBD joint venture that sets a precedent for even more workers in the industry to unionize.
UFCW Local 7 in Colorado will represent workers in production and packaging at Nature’s Root Labs in Longmont, which is the manufacturer for Union Harvest. UFCW Local 1625 in Florida will represent CBD workers in purchasing, sales, and worker/customer education at Union Harvest’s Clearwater location. With CBD now available to purchase nationwide, this UFCW deal with Union Harvest and Nature’s Root Labs is the first-ever national union contract for CBD workers and has the potential to transform the country’s $13.3 billion CBD market.
Colorado Cannabis Worker at Nature’s Root Labs, Ataya Arreguin: “Job security is important, especially during a pandemic. I have two kids and throughout the past year I have been worried about losing my job because of the pandemic. Now that we have a union, I feel even more confident that these jobs are secure and that they can become a great career that help us build a better life for us and our families.”
Colorado Cannabis Worker at Nature’s Root Labs, Heidi Berringer: “When the pandemic hit, my husband, who is a union member, knew he would have the support he needed and that his benefits and job would be protected. It’s exciting to know that with our union, we will be able to negotiate these types of protections and continue to have our voices heard as Nature’s Root Labs continues to grow.”
Union Harvest Managing Director and Founder Justin Eisenach: “We are committed to running a pro-union company that will produce and sell high quality CBD products to consumers across the nation and honor the hard work of our employees with a union contract. That means higher wages and better benefits as well as giving workers a voice, which can be critical in any business, but particularly important in an emerging industry such as cannabis. Having a good relationship with our employees is important and a signed union contract is part of that. Now consumers will have a choice when they purchase CBD and can buy USA union-made, union-packed, union-sold products.”
UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova in Colorado: “We are excited about this new contract and our role to expand into this national market. The past year has demonstrated the need and benefits of having a unionized workplace, and we feel that Union Harvest, the customers, and the workers will all be better off with this agreement and contract in place.”
UFCW 1625 President Ed Chambers in Florida: “We feel this is a very positive development for workers and consumers here in Florida and across the nation. CBD can be a very important and helpful product for so many people, but until today they have not had a chance to purchase from a USA-Made union product.”
BACKGROUND:
UFCW is America’s largest cannabis workers union, representing over 10,000 cannabis workers across the country. As states and cities continue to embrace the good-paying jobs that the cannabis industry can create, many more cannabis workers are unionizing with UFCW.
UFCW cannabis worker victories have been secured at a wide range of companies across the industry, including at Windy City Cannabis in Illinois, Sira Naturals in Massachusetts, Perfect Union in California, Greenleaf in Rhode Island, OHM Grow/Pure Fire Dispensary in Colorado, Sunnyside (Cresco Labs) in New York, Garden State Dispensary in New Jersey, Vireo Health in Maryland, and DC Holistic Wellness in Washington, D.C.
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UFCW is the largest private sector union in the United States. UFCW International represents 1.3 million professionals and their families in healthcare, grocery stores, meatpacking, food processing, retail shops and other industries. Our members serve our communities in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the UFCW at ufcw.org.
