Can unions ensure marijuana workers earn a livable wage?

Most marijuana workers in California don’t make enough money to meet living-wage standards across much of the state, but unionization provides a path to stability, according to a new report.

Cannabis workers in the state earn a median hourly wage of $19.50, above California’s minimum wage and median wages in retail and delivery.

However, nearly 43% of women, 29% of men and 81% of gender-nonconforming workers said they had trouble paying for food or groceries within the past year, according to a survey of 1,100 marijuana employees by the UCLA Labor Center and grassroots research hub Cannabis Worker Collab.

Unionization has made a difference in whether cannabis workers get raises and receive employer-provided health insurance, according to the report, which found that 20% of workers surveyed reported being a union member.

The report – “The State of the California Cannabis Workforce” – found that 69% of union workers received raises, compared with 50% of nonunion employees, and 65% had employer-provided health insurance, compared with 41% of nonunion staffers.

“We’ve seen firsthand how organizing leads to better pay, safety protections and dignity at work, Mskindness Batchelor-Ramirez, a co-author of the report and the founder of marijuana education organization Club Kindness, said last week during a news conference.

“These workers are demanding a voice in shaping the future of the cannabis industry, and they deserve it.”

Some are fighting marijuana unionization

In other parts of the country, however, the marijuana industry is pushing back on unionization efforts.

In New York City, Hybrid NYC is fighting a unionization effort by trying to overturn a labor-friendly licensing requirement in court.

In New Jersey, employees of multistate operator Green Thumb Industries are seeking a vote on whether they can remove United Food and Commercial Workers Local 360.

In Oregon, a federal court ruled that the state’s licensing requirement that marijuana operators enter labor peace agreements with unions is unconstitutional. Oregon officials have indicated they will not fight the ruling.

Meanwhile, the UCLA Labor Center’s report also found:

• 85% of respondents said the industry needs stronger health and safety protections.
• More than 62% said they experienced some form of wage theft, such as late pay or being asked to do unpaid work.
• 27% of women reported sexual harassment from bosses, managers or customers.
• More than one-third of all workers experienced racial slurs or intimidation and 28% encountered homophobic or transphobic comments from upper management, co-workers or customers.
• More than 60% of delivery workers said they were pressured to perform deliveries faster than is safe.

“I’ve had co-workers who’ve had guns pulled on them or been robbed,” said Lay Lay Lee, a marijuana delivery driver in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“Because of how the system is set up under legalization, we often carry thousands of dollars in cannabis products and cash, and we’re constantly rushing to and from depots to meet order demands.”

How to improve job quality in the cannabis space

The report makes several recommendations to improve job quality and support long-term equity in the cannabis industry, including:

• Higher wages for employees through tax breaks for employers who raise pay as well as incentives for companies to increase retention.
• Mandating certified training for cannabis workers.
• Investing in workforce-development courses.
• Paid apprenticeships.

“This industry attracts workers with a deep passion for people and the plant and a vision for meaningful careers in patient and customer care and cultivation,” said Robert Chlala, a co-author and research lead at the UCLA Labor Center.

“But right now, workers aren’t getting the safety, stability or opportunity that will allow them to build long-term careers that contribute to their communities.”

Margaret Jackson can be reached at margaret.jackson@mjbizdaily.com.