“Employees have been told that if they talk to the union or take a card or sticker, then they are out.”
By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent
The first day went smoothly.
Sean Shannon and Danny Foster, wearing matching “Union For Cannabis Workers”, walked into marijuana dispensaries in Missouri and spoke to the employees about unionization.
Shannon, the lead organizer for UFCW Local 655, which is actually United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, said that on the first day there were 57 stopovers amongst teams. The reception was overwhelmingly positive. “Workers were so excited.”
Shannon gathered a dozen organizers who helped Local 655 to visit each of the approximately 100 dispensaries in the eastern half Missouri twice.
The union’s recent victory in a settlement with Shangri-La South dispensary employees in Columbia , who were fired after a union organizing drive in March, has gotten a lot of attention.
He said, “They were thrilled to hear that Shangri La (employees) actually won.” They couldn’t believe that people got their jobs back. “They couldn’t believe how much money they were getting.”
He said that by the third day the reception had become much colder. Managers warned their colleagues at other locations of the possibility that union representatives might visit.
He said that employees were told to “talk to the union if they wanted, or take a card if they wanted, or a sticker if they wanted.”
Shannon stated that the union activity “exploded” since the tour.
A campaign that is active means that the employees have signed authorization cards or agreements with Local 655 authorizing them to represent themselves. This also means that union leaders think workers have a great chance of success.
Shannon said that Local 655 has now been authorized to represent over 20 locations in eastern Missouri.
Next, you will need to file a petition for representation with the National Labor Relations Board. This is to ask the board to conduct a vote among the employees to determine whether they want to be unionized.
Employees at Hi Pointe Cannabis filed a petition last week. They followed the example of High Profile Dispensary workers in Columbia, and Bloom Medicinal Dispensary workers in St. Louis at the beginning of November.
Homestate Dispensary workers in Kansas City, Missouri, voted by 6-1 in October to be represented by Teamsters Local 955. This is the second unionized dispensary of Missouri. Root 66 dispensary employees in St. Louis voted in April 2022 to join UFCW local 655.
Shannon explained that the Missouri state is now at a point where “canna-bliss”, the excitement of working in the marijuana industry, is beginning to wear off.
Danny Foster, an ex-cannabis worker who helped with the union tour, explained that the reality is now setting in. Workers aren’t being paid enough and are often working in bad conditions. They also have no job security.
Foster stated, “We didn’t get the industry we were promised.” “We were all super excited when we arrived. We love cannabis. We wanted it to be a career. As it stands, cannabis is not a career.
“Vision of fully Restorative Relief”
Andrew Nussbaum was motivated to join a union by the desire to secure his job. He is the longest-serving employee at Shangri-La South in Columbia. He loves his job as patient consultant supervisor.
He said that many people just wanted to help others and find a solution for them. “I have talked to people from 45 minutes to one hour to get them squared up.”
In April, he and his fellow dispensary workers faced strong opposition when they filed a petition for representation.
The board quickly and firmly supported the workers after he was fired along with nine other employees. It approved a settlement which awarded backpay to the “unlawfully dismissed employees” and cleared the way for them to become unionized.
The board announced the agreement with a statement that reflected the “vision of the general counsel for fully restorative justice.”
Nussbaum will return to work soon, along with five other terminated employees. He said that despite the turmoil of this year, he is committed to his job. He holds a degree from the Department of Plant Biology and enjoys studying how cannabis can benefit people.
He said, “That’s the whole point.” “That’s the reason it’s important for all of us because this wasn’t an easy ordeal.”
The Independent did not receive a response from the attorney who represents the company involved in the case.
Shannon explained that the camaraderie between employees who love cannabis is one of the reasons people are drawn to the industry. Shannon said that the camaraderie among employees who are passionate about cannabis is what draws people to the industry.
He said, “Cannabis workers is the right community.” This is a close-knit community that looks out for each other. They are learning that having a union behind you is the only way to make a real difference. I have been telling people to “Wait until you feel the contract high.”
Are they agricultural workers?
Will Braddum is a post harvest technician at BeLeaf Medical’s Sinse Cannabis facility in St. Louis. He’s facing a new kind of battle. He and 17 other workers filed their petition with the board in September. The company quickly argued that they are not manufacturer workers, but agricultural workers.
The 1935 National Labor Relations Act does not protect agricultural workers. This act guarantees employees the right to “seek better working conditions and designate representation without fear of reprisal.”
Shannon says that unionizing is a difficult task for employees who work in the cannabis manufacturing industry.
Braddum stated that on October 27, representatives of the company presented the job descriptions for employees to the board. This included “a bunch of the cultivation job description”, Braddum added. He said that it was a very eye-opening experience for those employees who had to testify and refute this description.
He said, “I have never watered anything or touched soil.” “I have never touched any living plant while working.” If they tell the National Labor Relations Board we are doing agricultural work, I’m guessing they may not be on our side.
BeLeaf Medical’s attorney said that the company could not comment.
The board has not yet made a decision, but it is expected that the decision will be closely reviewed across the country.
Braddum is at BeLeaf since the past year and a quarter, but has been a part of the legacy markets since 2009.
He said, “I kind of segued.” “I went without any hiccup from an illegal to a legal profession.”
This is his career. He has seen how “cutthroat’ the corporate side can become and how an HR officer could make someone lose his agent ID or license issued by the state to work with cannabis. He does not want to be in that situation, nor do any of his staff.
He said that the only way he could get a raise from Human Resources was to join a union and talk to his co-workers.
The original publication of this story was by Missouri Independent.
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The article Missouri Marijuana Workers Push to Unionize Dispensaries Despite Management Resistance first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
