Cannabis Workers Unionize

[Payaso]

Jimmy Hoffa would be stoked.

In a logical move, cannabis workers have decided to unionize. Like any other business, employers take advantage of employees, and it's a long-honored tradition in America to organize, unionize and demand better working conditions and pay.

This is a capitalistic society, and the government certainly frowns on anything cannabis. So this is a logical move, the workers need to stay united so that they are not taken advantage of by greedy business owners who might demand more of their cannabis-related employees than they would a traditional mainstream type of occupation.

In what cannabis fans were calling a high-water mark for their movement to legitimize the drug, about 100 employees of medical marijuana-related businesses in Oakland were welcomed to the ranks of unionized workers on Friday after voting to join the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 5.

The move — which union officials said was the first time medical marijuana employees had been so represented — was hailed by the local’s leadership, who called their new members ‘great workers.”

“This is a natural for us,” said Ron Lind, the president of Local 5, whose 26,000 other members work primarily in groceries and the meat industry. “Our union’s primary jurisdiction is retail.”

The move was also welcomed by Richard Lee, the founder of Oaksterdam University, the medical marijuana trade school whose Oakland campus employs some 60 newly unionized members in its dispensary, gift shop and nursery. (For plants, not children.) Mr. Lee that said his employees were already offered health benefits and paid vacation, but that the union imprimatur was an important milestone in the battle to bring marijuana more into the mainstream.

After all, we hear in the cannabis world of business owners that employees have a usability factor.

For more on this story click here.

 

[nomaad]

Richard Lee has obviously decided to take his personal PR image to a different place. His comments that have been published in the last couple of weeks have been supportive of unionization of his workforce and critical of the GIANT indoor grow paradigm being considered by Oakland in favor of more smaller operations. Both things I can get behind.

Oh, Richard. Are you trying to woo me?

 

[SeniorBuzz]

rather than unions, it would be much better
if there were owner-operators

people with a vested interest
tend to do a lot better job

i.e. the "skin in the game" attitude

 

[nomaad]

I'm with you 100%, but as long as we have politically connected big business, the small scale owner-operator paradigm will never prevail. there will always be a niche, inhabited by the knowledgeable and honest owner-operator and the discerning, community minded consumer.

for all intents and purposes, "owner-operator" = "mom and pop." SeniorBuzz.. correct me if my understanding is correct. There may be some subtle differences... tell me what differentiates the two besides semantics?

 

[Skip]

Oh, Richard. Are you trying to woo me?

Hummm... This is a good development. I'm wondering if ppl shouldn't be lobbying Richard Lee over the Legalization Initiative, to get him to consider a more liberal reworking of it if it fails as it is.

Since he is one of the Gang of Four behind this Initiative and has the resources to conduct a petition drive, and since he has now heard all the complaints about this Initiative, perhaps he is having second thoughts.

So let's start pressuring him to start working on a new Initiative, regardless of what happens to this one. If it passes in Nov., the new one would replace it the next election cycle and hopefully fix the problems ppl have with this one.

The key would seem to be giving Richard Lee and the Gang our feedback and suggestions for improvements. You gotta give the guy credit for getting the legalization initiative this far. Now that the weaknesses of the measure are apparent, we can improve upon it in the next Initiative. A new initiative would also keep the legalization drive alive, even if the current measure fails at the polls.

 

[Skip]

Owner-Operator = Collective or Cooperative, which we already have plenty.

 

[LolaGal]

Yippie

Yippie

Well I feel like a proud mamma. Good idea, bad union name though.

Richard Lee, there is a whole thread of dandy union names here you can use.

Yup, Unions will brring Agraweed to it's knees.

 

[nomaad]

I am all for giving credit where credit is due. Richard Lee has done as much for the MMJ cause as anybody.

My criticism of him stems from the monopolistic practices of his busineses. You can lobby the GOF all you want to rewrite the bill, but its not going to change the fact that its the same guys who are pushing the local ordinances that limit the amount of dispensaries... then lo and behold, Harborside gets one of the three permits. Or TWO of the three. Let watch and see what happens in Chico. They own the lab that tests the herb. They have sway over the certification body that serves the industry...

Now... I will tell you that while I am officially undecided as to how I will vote, I am leaning toward a yes vote for the very reasons you support. Unless I am convinced that more people will be going to prison because of this bill it will get my vote on the basis that it will add to the momentum of true (alcohol style) legalization on a national level. MMJ spread from Cali to other states and so will recreational. Once i let go of certain attachments and just focus on my sense of justice, voting YES is the obvious answer. I do it begrudgingly, knowing that I give power to the forces of control at the top of this industry.

But nothing is a clean as we'd like it to be.

 

[binaryfission]

So let's start pressuring him to start working on a new Initiative, regardless of what happens to this one. If it passes in Nov., the new one would replace it the next election cycle and hopefully fix the problems ppl have with this one.

The key would seem to be giving Richard Lee and the Gang our feedback and suggestions for improvements. You gotta give the guy credit for getting the legalization initiative this far. Now that the weaknesses of the measure are apparent, we can improve upon it in the next Initiative. A new initiative would also keep the legalization drive alive, even if the current measure fails at the polls.

this sounds like a great idea. how can i help?

 

[nomaad]

Owner-Operator = Collective or Cooperative, which we already have plenty.

not in places where ordinances have been passed limiting the number of D's. In those places we have none... or a couple. And one of them is always connected to Richard Lee.

 

[nomaad]

this sounds like a great idea. how can i help?

start your own lobbying firm to lobby Richard Lee. I know of one starting in the Sacramento area. Then Richard Lee, who has the real connections can lobby to his pocket politicians and regulatory agencies and unions.

political pressure in 2010 is all about dollars spent on lobbying... especially when such cast sums of money are involved. convince these people that there is more money to be made your way than theres. Good luck.

Between 2001 and 2004 I spent a lot of time in the streets protesting everything from the Patriot Act to the Invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan... my belief is that the net result of those actions consisting of millions of people in the streets worldwide amounted to absolutely nothing on the money/policy side of things. The only thing that was affected by the protests was the way they marketed the war to the rest of the world that wasn't protesting.

This is why I am wary of a pattern of "softening" R. Lee's image in recent weeks. Could it be genuine? Perhaps. Am I a bit jaded bout stuff like this? Hell yeah.

 

[Skip]

With a union behind them, I guess it will be more difficult for LEOs to arrest and try anyone working in a unionized dispensary. The union has clout, connections and lawyers. However in the past 40 or so years (since Reagan), unions have lost a lot of power they once had. When was the last big strike by a union in the US? Pre 9/11 I'm guessing...

 

[SeniorBuzz]

Unions have quickly become a target

on the National political front.

So much bad press

and it just continues on, and on.

In the court of public opinion

unions are on the proverbial shit list

and it is only going to get worse.

As I mentioned CA has a $500 billion dollar

unfunded liability

for public union inflated pensions

public union workers have close to

60% of government jobs

while union workers are a relatively small %

of the private sector jobs

 

[Skip]

Yes, SeniorBuzz, and that explains why government sector employees now make MORE than equivalent jobs in the private sector. Before Reagan, the reverse was true. Private sector employees used to make much more than gov't employees, and that was due to all the unions we used to have before Reaganomics decided they were hampering corporate profits.

Of course now unions have had to compromise and give back so many benefits they had just to stay in Corporate america. Sure union bennies have nearly caused some big firms like GM to go bankrupt, but it really wasn't the union's fault that GM is so mismanaged...

 

[Old time lurker]

I wonder what the prevailing wage for an apprentice and journeyman grower will be. This could bite him on the butt: What if the union demands that apprentice growers be paid 22.50 an hour, and journeymen should earn 26.50 an hour to start?
This will definately help him out lobbying, tho. A politician might not listen to a disgruntled band of disp. owners, but if the union has clout in it, they will give it 100% attention.

 

[karmical]

Unions have quickly become a target

on the National political front.

So much bad press

and it just continues on, and on.

In the court of public opinion

unions are on the proverbial shit list

and it is only going to get worse.

I would say it would depend on whatever way you'd be trying to twist the results the public.

Never been part of a Union before. I like all the people I've met so far, been nothing but a positive ++. Amazing just how many mmj patients are from a unionized background, and just how many of them are just passing through to give even more support.

That was all day one, I am actually looking forward to getting back to work today and to continue this fantastic ride..

 

[Emperor Herer]

Union: a major step in a main stream direction. I personally believe that owner/operator-patient/caregiver/patient Not-For-Profit is the way to go. But, I dont live in Cali, but I do know that Cali is setting the stage. Follow the money. Where is the finical support coming form (lobbying) and in the end, where will the money be going? Schools? Healthcare? Somebody's big-asset Mc-Mansion and six month-a-year vacations?

 

[binaryfission]

Yes, SeniorBuzz, and that explains why government sector employees now make MORE than equivalent jobs in the private sector. Before Reagan, the reverse was true. Private sector employees used to make much more than gov't employees, and that was due to all the unions we used to have before Reaganomics decided they were hampering corporate profits.

Of course now unions have had to compromise and give back so many benefits they had just to stay in Corporate america. Sure union bennies have nearly caused some big firms like GM to go bankrupt, but it really wasn't the union's fault that GM is so mismanaged...

A large percentage of those worker's benefits goes towards inflated health care costs. Fix the healthcare system and unions are once again viable. don't blame the unions.

 

[resinryder]

Well isn't that nice.

 

[Hydrosun]

Yes, SeniorBuzz, and that explains why government sector employees now make MORE than equivalent jobs in the private sector. Before Reagan, the reverse was true. Private sector employees used to make much more than gov't employees, and that was due to all the unions we used to have before Reaganomics decided they were hampering corporate profits.

Of course now unions have had to compromise and give back so many benefits they had just to stay in Corporate america. Sure union bennies have nearly caused some big firms like GM to go bankrupt, but it really wasn't the union's fault that GM is so mismanaged...

How is it not the union's fault GM went tits up? Can you say "Jobs Bank"? And why is it any American would stomach paying government employees more than private sector employees? DMV workers should make 30% of a competent cashier at Von's, IMO. And all American's should be responsible for saving for their own retirement. It is really immoral to confiscate the labor of young Californian's to pay for the 50 year old retirees who will receive 90% pay for the next 40+ years.

Collectivism and socialism are wrong being self reliant and taking care of your own family conforms with man's metaphysics. Compassion at the point of a gun is EXTORTION no different today than it was under Cesar.