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Budtenders want better workplaces, voice in cannabis industry
Published on October 25, 2024 by Pat Bulmer

The mostly young workers at cannabis dispensaries aren’t unionizing to get more money—although that’s a nice benefit too—they’re organizing to make their workplaces in the cannabis industry better.
BC-based UFCW 1518 has organized about 13 cannabis stores around the province, along with one commercial grower, and represents some 150 cannabis workers.
Late last month, the union announced another dozen workers at Kiaro Cannabis in Port Coquitlam had joined the union’s Budtender division.
“Ultimately, it’s a very small portion of the private cannabis industry, but I think it’s also a very important voice. A lot of workers are looking at how they can really have a voice within the industry and within their worksite,” said Patrick Johnson, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers local.
For many workers, having a say on health-and-safety concerns and resolving issues such as inconsistent hours are the items they want to address — even more than the size of their paycheques.
“Because these are small workplaces, they have unique health-and-safety concerns where you’re either working in the front of the store by yourself or in some case entirely by yourself,” said Johnson in a telephone interview with the oz. “Health and safety concerns around working alone or working as a team come up quite a lot.”
BC allows working alone, but “employers must have procedures in place to ensure the well-being of workers who work alone or in isolation,” says WorkSafeBC. Johnson said UFCW 1518 is lobbying the City of Victoria to require two workers on shift at all times.
“It’s quite inspiring to see folks that they’re not forming a union solely because of money—even though it’s an expensive province to live in. It’s ultimately how can we have a voice at work … be a part of an industry they really care about and how they can make it better. They believe in the industry that they work in and want to see it succeed,” said Johnson.
That’s not to say money doesn’t matter. “It’s an expensive province,” Johnson said.
And the union has negotiated some significant gains in that category, too.
“We’ve seen some big improvements in the City of Victoria cannabis shops. We’ve seen some strong increases,” he said.
Wage scales have been put into contracts, so workers can be assured of pay raises for sticking around. Some contracts have included signing and other bonuses.
“Some of our recent cannabis agreements have focused on call-in premium pay for late shift changes, staff discounts on merchandise, and employer-provided uniforms and cleaning allowances for staff,” UFCW communications rep Robin Wilde answered in an email to the oz.
In other contracts, the union has negotiated improved scheduling language, training language, benefits, paid sick days, designated days off, vacation language, scheduled breaks, grievance procedures, labour-management committees and tip language.
Last week, the union reached an agreement with a downtown Vancouver Canna Cabana store. Staffing was the top concern for the newly unionized members.
They were fighting for more hours, said Johnson—“more time to stock, more time to help customers, stronger health and safety, just having someone to work with — that’s really what they were standing up for.
“To the employer’s credit, the employer recognized the need for a stronger staffing model. They understood that the workers had some legitimate concerns about staffing — and were willing to fight for it.”
The union had issued strike notice, but didn’t need to use it.
The contract included a pay raise, signing bonus and the ability to accept tips “which they didn’t have before,” Johnson said.
“The BC Bud Union was founded in 2020 when Victoria cannabis workers united to form the first unionized dispensary in Canada,” an earlier union press release explained. Since then, more shops in Victoria have joined and the division has grown to include stores in Greater Vancouver, one in Hazelton in Northern B.C. and Potanicals greenhouse in the Okanagan.
Word is spreading about the union, said Johnson. Earlier this year, the local also hosted a cannabis festival in Victoria.
“We just find it totally inspiring that in a new industry with young workers that folks are looking at how to make their workplace better,” the union president concluded.
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