Listen to this articleEmployees at a cannabis dispensary in Eatontown are the latest group of workers in New Jersey’s legalized industry to unionize.
According to the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 360, staffers at Fresh Eatontown LLC recently voted to organize as members of the union, which represents cannabis industry workers in dispensaries, labs, manufacturing, processing, delivery and grow facilities across the U.S.
Fresh owns the storefront. The multistate operator also does business in Colorado and Delaware.
A few months after Fresh made its New Jersey debut in Elizabeth, workers at the store voted in favor of unionization late last year.
In a statement, UFCW Local 360‘s director of organizing Hugh Giordano said, “I hope the management team at Fresh Eatontown recognizes how lucky it is to have such committed employees. Voting to unionize is a powerful step. It represents a professional and personal commitment to the future of the company and signals that these cannabis workers want to be partners in creating long-term success.”
Growing movement
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, Teamsters Local 469 and UFCW Local 360.
Giordano credited UFCW’s “Cannabis Workers Rising” more than 10-year campaign as a factor in the continued organizing success.
“As this young industry evolves, workers are learning about the value of bona fide unions, like Local 360,” said Giordano. “They choose to unionize because they see that labor membership can mean better conditions, better opportunities, and a brighter future for families, communities and employers. They choose UFCW Local 360 because of our unmatched cannabis industry expertise and our record of success for cannabis workers in collective bargaining, contract negotiations, and worker rights.”
Fresh did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding unionization efforts.
