New Jersey’s cannabis industry continues to unionize with employees at a manufacturing facility in Passaic opting to organize.
Following a vote to join Teamsters Local 469, the 40 staffers at Garden Society became the first cannabis workers in New Jersey to become part of the union, according to a press release .
Local 469 President Michael Broderick commented, “Garden Society workers made their voices heard loud and clear that they want Local 469 to represent them in winning the strong contract they deserve.”
“As a new and growing industry in New Jersey, it is vital that we fight to ensure that the cannabis industry jobs are good careers with a fair wage, safe working conditions, quality health care benefits, and a pathway to retiring with dignity. Garden Society workers and all cannabis workers in New Jersey deserve nothing less,” he said.
Since launching an effort to organize the cannabis industry three years ago, the union said it has secured more than 30 collective bargaining agreements in California, Massachusetts, Ohio and Illinois.
Jesse Case, director of the Teamsters’ food processing division, said, “Cannabis is a nascent and unpredictable field, and by creating a level of stability in the craft that only comes with a Teamsters contract, our union is creating the best pathway possible for prosperous careers in the industry.”
‘Local’ view
Beverly Hayes, a worker at Garden Society who voted to join Local 469, said she’s “excited for what the future holds now that we have a union” and believes workers are on their way to “getting what we deserve.”
Garden Society did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding unionization efforts.
Across New Jersey, Hazlet-based Local 469 represents over 4,000 workers in various industries .
Because New Jersey’s cannabis laws require employers to negotiate in good faith if workers seek union representation, employees at several companies have unionized over the past two and a half years with groups like United Food and Commercial Workers Local 152 and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 360.
