The Cannabis Place, a Jersey City dispensary, is the first in Hudson County sign a union recognition agreement, in this case, with the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 360.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Union recognition agreements provide a framework for industrial relations within an organization, setting out the rules and procedures to be used by both union and employer.
“There’s a clear and obvious need for more family-supporting careers throughout the cannabis industry,” The Cannabis Place Dispensary Founder and CEO Osbert Orduña said today.
“We want to set an example for the entire industry by creating local career opportunities and helping to support our local community, as well as other Black, Latino, LGBTQ+ and veteran owned businesses.”
Located at 1542 John F. Kennedy Blvd., the dispensary opened late last year and advocated for having union employees.
“While our work at the forefront of workers’ rights predates today’s legal cannabis industry, it has rarely been so vital. We’re proud both of what we’ve achieved on behalf of cannabis industry workers, and of our partnerships with inspirational business leaders like Osbert,” noted UFCW Local 360 President Sam Ferraino.
“The Cannabis Place exemplifies the ideals of economic justice that drive us, and its workers move to unite for good wages, benefits and standards will certainly act as inspiration for workers across the New Jersey cannabis industry.”
Elected leaders on hand included Hudson County Clerk E. Junior Maldonado, a partner in the business, Hudson County Board of Commissioners Chair Anthony Romano (D-5), County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), a Jersey City mayoral candidate, and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney, a Democratic candidate for governor.
“Moments like this are exactly why I pushed for strong labor standards throughout this industry,” stated Sweeney.
“Today, as The Cannabis Place workers begin to realize the promise of union membership, they become part of a continuum of labor-supported workers stretching from construction and manufacturing, to cultivation, retail and delivery. I’m looking forward to many more occasions like this one.”
Guests at today’s signing also learned about the first-in-the-nation collaboration between The Cannabis Place and UFCW Local 360: a cannabis retail union pre-apprenticeship training course.
Held at The Cannabis Places’ community impact room, local students learn the basics of working in a retail cannabis environment, directly from Local 360 experts.
Cannabis is one of the fastest growing industries in the nation and programs like this are designed to ensure the benefits of its growth accrue equitably.
That includes building pathways to family-sustaining careers with a special focus on marginalized communities, veterans, and those who suffered during the failed war on drugs.
“Today, The Cannabis Place located at 1542 JFK Blvd, signed a contract with UFCW Local, making The Cannabis Place the FIRST Jersey City/Hudson County dispensary to sign an agreement to unionize its employees,” O’Dea wrote on social media.
“I am always a huge supporter of our unions and it was an honor to take part in this wonderful moment.”
