Posts Categorized: Industries

On March 25, members of UFCW Local 400 who work at the Green Goods cannabis dispensary in Rockville, Md., voted to ratify their first union contract. The workers, who voted unanimously to approve the collective bargaining agreement, joined UFCW Local 400 last year.

The contract includes the following provisions:

•           Guaranteed wage increases over the life of the agreement

•           Retirement investment option

•           Minimum hours of work for full-timers and minimum hours per shift for part-timers

•           Secured daily cash tip distribution

•           Paid breaks

•           Paid holidays and paid time off

•           Paid bereavement leave

•           A grievance procedure to resolve disputes with management

•           Health and safety commitments from the employer

The Green Goods workers are part of a growing wave of cannabis dispensaries in Maryland that have recently unionized with UFCW Local 400, including the Apothecarium in Burtonsville; Sweetspot in Olney; Story Cannabis locations in Hyattsville and Mechanicsville; Potomac Holistics in Rockville; and Zen Leaf in Germantown.

On March 19, workers at the PetSmart store in Royal Oak, Mich., voted to join UFCW Local 876. This organizing win marks the third unit of PetSmart workers to join the UFCW. Workers at the PetSmart store in Mishawaka, Ind., became the first PetSmart store in the county to unionize by joining UFCW Local 700 in October 2024, and workers at the PetSmart store in Midland, Texas, voted to join UFCW Local 540 this January.

The 13 workers, who are employed as cashiers, dog groomers, and store leads, joined our union family due to concerns about equal pay, the company’s recent restructuring plan, and other company policies. The campaign to organize these workers included phone calls, texts, meetings.

“The decision by PetSmart workers to join UFCW Local 876 is a powerful statement about the need for fair wages, respect, and a real voice at work,” said UFCW Local 876 President Dan Pedersen. “These workers care deeply about the communities they serve, and they deserve that same level of care from their employer. We’re proud to stand with them as they fight for a strong contract that reflects their hard work and dedication; when we fight – we win!”