Employees of 17 CBD Kratom cannabis dispensaries in the St. Louis metro area have voted to unionize, marking a significant development in the cannabis industry. The 50 workers will join the United Food and Commercial Workers, a union with over 15,000 members nationwide in the cannabis industry.
Fourteen of the stores on the Missouri side of the metro area will be represented by UFCW Local 655, while three in Illinois will be represented by UFCW Local 881. The workers made the decision to unionize without interference from the company, and the union is looking forward to helping them negotiate their first union contract.
David Cook, the president of Local 655, expressed gratitude for the workers’ decision to organize and emphasized the importance of respecting their legal rights. CBD Kratom’s chief operating officer, Jason Brandi, also stated that the company values its employees and looks forward to working with the UFCW to create a contract that benefits both parties.
The union reported that about three-fourths of eligible employees participated in the vote, with 79% in favor of unionizing. However, not all cannabis industry workers are experiencing a smooth unionization process, as employees at BeLeaf Medical’s Sinse Cannabis cultivation site are currently in a dispute with their employer over unionization. The case is now in front of the National Labor Relations Board, highlighting the complexities of labor relations in the growing cannabis industry.