A Union in Cannabis

If there was ever an industry that needed a union, it’s the Connecticut cannabis industry. Too many times employers in this industry have used 280e as an excuse to cut costs and staff unnecessarily. Employers often expect employees to work towards their business dream while leaving them working for minimum wage or slightly above minimum wage, without benefits. But there’s an entity coming to the table to stop it… The Union.

The bottom line here is that an industry’s tax problem should NEVER be the problem of the employee. Plus… I’m sorry but dreams and privilege never paid the rent or filled a belly. EVER. And when industry companies like CURALEAF start firing people for trying to organize a union, it looks pretty bad. FYI, that’s against the law too, federal law which trumps any local customs.

So… What’s a Union do?
Union representatives work to negotiate and enforce contracts with a company’s management team to guarantee normal things like decent raises, quality affordable health care, job security, and stable scheduling. This creates a better workplace and working conditions while creating an environment where one can stress concerns without the fear of retaliation from management. I know… Sounds terrible.

What’s a Union ever done for me?
Here’s 35 things that they’ve done for everyone, even non-union workers.
1. Weekends
2. All Breaks at Work (Lunch too)
3. Paid vacations
4. FMLA
5. Sick Leave
6. Social Security
7. Minimum Wage
8. Civil Rights Act/ Title VII (Prohibits Discrimination)
9. 8- Hour work day
10. Overtime Pay
11. Child labor laws
12. Occupational Safety & health Act (OSHA)
13. 40-hour work Week
14. Worker’s compensation
15. Unemployment Insurance
16. Pensions
17. Workplace Safety standards and Regulations
18. Employer Health Care Insurance
19. Collective Bargaining Rights for Employees
20. Wrongful Termination Laws
21. Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
22. Whistleblower Protection Laws
23. Employee Polygraph Protection Act
24. Veteran’s Employment and Training Services (VETS)
25. Compensation increases and Evaluations (Raises)
26. Sexual Harassment Laws
27. Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
28. Holiday Pay
29. Privacy Rights
30. Pregnancy and Parental Leave
31. Military Leave
32. The Right to Strike
33. Public Education for Children
34. Equal Pay Acts of 1963 & 2011
35. Laws Ending Sweatshops in the United States

Are Union’s perfect?
Hell No! Nothing is. But without them would any of those 35 points have been made into a reality?🤷‍♂️ Beats me. But could you imagine the horror of what the workplace would look like without them? It’s true; Unions are what brought all of these labor laws into existence.

So why are we talking about Unions again?
HighBazaar brought in Union Group UFCW 371 to speak with the exhibitors of HighBazaar. Many of the exhibits of HighBazaar have plans on submitting applications to get into the legal cannabis market which is scheduled to be rolling out later this year. HighBazaar hopes to see it done right.

In addition to speaking about the the benefits of Unions. The group is having open discussions about moguls they face once entering this new market place like Unions, 280E, and continued banking issues. These are all the things one needs to prepare for before getting into this business.

HighBazaar IS the change they want to see in the world. They bring it all to the table and supply any resources they have to the success of the future Entrepreneur. They want you to be successful and they build from within. HighBazaar is setting the stage of tomorrow, today. I know… Sounds like crazy talk? Who’d do such a thing?