The recession did quite the number on organized labor. Now it sincerely needs to bolster its membership ranks somehow. America’s leading growth industry is being observed by numerous. Even the Teamster Union, also injured within the economic downturn, is looking there. There is one place Teamster is most looking, says the Associated Press. It’s looking at the cannabis business. Source for this article – Marijuana growers unionizing under Teamsters banner by Personal Money Store.
Creating a union for marijuana growers
In September, Teamsters picked up 40 new members, all of them marijuana growers. The majority of the members are expected to be from California as it has the most permissive medical weed laws out of every state when that isn’t certain. Lots of individuals do not know how Teamsters plans to work anything out. The biggest concern is how it will protect members that are committing crimes by growing.
Working with cannabis workers was not what Lou Marchetti thought he’d be doing when he joined Teamsters 34 years ago. Marchetti works with newly signed growers in California and Teamsters local 70.
He said, “This is a whole new ballgame”.
When speaking on Teamsters getting involved with marijuana growers in California, Marchetti explained that the company would not be working with any business it thought was breaking the law in its proceedings.
Marjyn Investments LLC provides the Teamsters with work
Marjyn Investments LCC works with medical marijuana patients to help them grow their own weed plants with gardening, trimming and cloning jobs. The Teamsters Union works with contracts. They started the two year contract. Now they all have paid trip, medical insurance and even pensions. In turn, wages will rise from $18 per hour to $25.75 per hour over the next 15 months, as outlined by Teamsters Local 70.
Trying to figure out all the difficulties with growing pot
Growing marijuana plants is against federal law, although states like California do allow the enterprise for controlled medicinal purposes. However, if the federal government decided to crack down on Marjyn Investments, Marchetti is uncertain exactly how Teamsters would respond. For that matter, the AP states that marijuana trimmers have an arduous job, and federal law would not step in on their behalf if trimmers happened to be subjected to abusive labor practices. Michael Leong, assistant regional director for National Labor Relations Board within the Oakland area, isn’t even sure if the Teamster weed farmers can be classified as farm workers. The NLRB wouldn’t be in control at all if that is the case.
Ever harvesting dispensaries for cannabis with ‘in the shadows’ cultivation
California law has allowed marijuana dispensaries to grow into a booming new business, but existing laws have not fully defined just how cultivation operations like Marjyn Investments LLC should be regulated. There is definite interest from applicants wanting to break into the field, however how applicable labor standards should be applied is a work in progress. At this point, one of the only things that is clear as applicants await their permits to open shop is that membership within the Teamsters Union isn’t required in order to operate.
Additional reading
Associated Press
newser.com/article/d9ibmhtg0/us-teamsters-boost-membership-by-adding-medical-pot-growers-to-the-union-rolls.html
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