On Jan. 25, workers at the Trulieve cannabis dispensary on East Magnolia Street in Phoenix made history by becoming the first group of cannabis agriculture workers in Arizona to unionize by joining UFCW Local 99 and the second group of agriculture workers to form a union in state history.
This organizing win marks the second time a union election has been administered by the Arizona Agricultural Labor Relations Board (AERB). The workers at the Trulieve cannabis dispensary petitioned for union recognition through the AERB, and employees who were eligible to participate in the election included those in certain job classifications within the cultivation and post-harvest departments.
Following the announcement of results by the AERB, UFCW Local 99 President Jim McLaughlin celebrated the historic victory for cannabis workers and thanked the state board for its cooperation throughout the election process.
“Today, employees Trulieve Magnolia have proved that no matter the obstacle, when working people stand together in solidarity and demand better for themselves and their families, there is nothing they cannot achieve,” said McLaughlin. “As we celebrate this historic win for workers, I would also like to commend AERB Executive Secretary Lisa James and the entire board for their commitment to ensuring a free and fair election for all eligible employees.”
“Trulieve has the potential to become one of the first billion-dollar cannabis companies in the world,” said one of the workers. “My co-workers make this prosperity possible, and to learn how much they are affected by this company’s greed has been eye-opening. Sometimes I feel like people can feel trapped in this industry. With a union, we can be protected from exploitation and we can finally get the treatment that we deserve.”
