Midtown Budtenders Make History as First in Arizona to Unionize
Phoenix, AZ – On Thursday, budtenders at a Curaleaf Dispensary in Midtown Phoenix voted in favor of unionizing, becoming the first cannabis workers in Arizona to join the burgeoning Cannabis Workers Rising movement. Organized by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 99 (UFCW 99), workers at Curaleaf Midtown filed an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) earlier this year, on April 20th. Massachusetts-based Curaleaf is the world’s largest cannabis company by revenue and operates more than 100 dispensaries across the U.S.
Following the successful union election, UFCW 99 President Jim McLaughlin celebrated the vote as a victory for cannabis workers statewide,
“Today’s union election marks an important milestone for cannabis workers in Arizona and across the country. No matter the opposition, when workers stand together, there is nothing we cannot achieve,” said McLaughlin. “As cannabis companies like Curaleaf continue to see record profits, the time to share their prosperity with workers is long overdue. We will continue to support workers at dispensaries across the southwest in their fight for fair wages and dignity in the workplace,” McLaughlin continued. “Curaleaf workers can now negotiate a contract that guarantees protections in the workplace and quality health care.”
Following Curaleaf Midtown’s move to unionize, workers at Curaleaf’s Camelback location are set to vote in their NLRB election next month.
