Monthly Archives: May 2022

On April 18, workers at Heritage Provisioning, a retail cannabis facility in Battle Creek, Mich., joined UFCW Local 951 for a better life. These hard-working men and women are the first group of cannabis workers to unionize in west Michigan.

Workers at the dispensary, who voted to join UFCW Local 951 unanimously, see union representation as a step in the right direction when it comes to a lasting career in an industry known for high employee turnover. They are looking forward to negotiating their first union contract.

“I’m really excited to be a part of something bigger than just myself,” said Riley Boles, a worker at Heritage Provisioning. “My dad is a union member and I’m proud to not only become one also, but to make history as the first UFCW Local 951 organized cannabis facility.”

“UFCW Local 951 is committed to raising the standards for all workers in this unique and rapidly developing industry,” said UFCW Local 951 President John Cakmakci. “We celebrate with the workers today and look forward to bargaining a contract that will give them the guarantees and protections in the workplace they deserve, along with competitive wages and quality health care. I’m excited and hopeful this will serve as a pathway to expanding union coverage to include more workers in the cannabis industry.”

Heritage Provisioning is owned and operated by Left Coast Holdings, which has multiple dispensaries throughout Michigan.

About 80 members of UFCW Local 27 who work at the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Baltimore ratified a new contract on April 15 that raises wages and protects benefits.

The five-year contract includes a new starting rate of $24.24 per hour, along with a $750.00 ratification bonus for all current members. The contract adds time and one half for all workers called into work. Members will now receive three days paid bereavement leave for aunts, uncles, and in-laws, along with 40 hours of sick pay. The contract also improves health care benefits for these members, as well as the pension, and includes a new 401(k) benefit.

“Our members ultimately had the final say on their contract,” said UFCW Local 27 President Jason Chorpenning. “Their overwhelming vote to ratify the new contract gives me the confidence that their voices were heard.”

“Our goal as the Bargaining Committee was to address our members’ core issues and leave no money on the table,” said Vice President and Executive Assistant to the President Nelson Hill.

“We are extremely proud of this agreement and the wages and benefits that will benefit our families and community,” said Keith Dailey, who is a Coca Cola employee and a union steward. “We work hard every day, and this agreement reflects our dedication to our work.”