Posts Categorized: Organizing

On March 5, cannabis workers at The Apothecarium Dispensary in Nottingham, Md., joined UFCW Local 27, continuing a wave of unionization across the state’s cannabis industry.

TerrAscend is the parent company of The Apothecarium, and this organizing win marks the third TerrAscend cannabis dispensary in Maryland to unionize with the UFCW Local 27, which also represents Apothecarium workers in Salisbury and Cumberland. This win marks another significant milestone: all cannabis dispensaries owned by TerrAscend in Maryland are now unionized with the UFCW.

Workers say the vote came despite an unprecedented union-busting campaign that included pressuring workers to vote “no” while distributing misinformation about the union and repeatedly holding anti-union meetings. Workers reported that the company retaliated after the union petition was filed, including firing a worker it believed was leading the organizing effort. Workers also said the company brought in personnel from another store to push anti-union messaging during the workday instead of helping customers—a tactic that only strengthened the workers’ determination to unionize.

“They brought people in from another store whose only job was to push the company’s anti- union message all day,” one worker said. “They were not there to help customers or help the team. All it did was show people how desperate the company was to stop us, and it pushed more people toward voting ‘yes.’”

“These workers endured an intense union-busting campaign but they stood together and made their voices heard,” UFCW Local 27 President Jason Chorpenning said. “No matter how much a company tries to intimidate or retaliate, workers know when they deserve better. They know they deserve dignity, respect, and a real voice on the job. We are proud to stand with them as they begin bargaining their first union contract.”

“You can hire union-busting consultants, hold captive audience meetings, and try to intimidate workers, but at the end of the day workers know their worth,” Chorpenning added. “These workers refused to be bullied and today they proved that when working people stand together, they win.”

UFCW Local 27 has filed multiple federal labor charges against TerrAscend in the last several months related to conduct during organizing campaigns at the other Apothecarium locations in Maryland. The union expects additional charges related to the Nottingham campaign to be filed in the coming days.

On Feb. 27, about 45 workers at two Lamplighter Brewing Co. locations in Cambridge, Mass., voted to join UFCW Local 1445—marking the first brewery to unionize in the state of Massachusetts.

These workers joined our union because they were concerned about insufficient wages and benefits and wanted a voice in the workplace. The campaign to organize these workers included in-person meetings about the better wages and benefits that come with a union contract.

“We’re excited to have won our union, and now we’re all looking forward to sitting down and bargaining our first contract,” said Ryan McFarland, a lead bartender at the Broadway Lamplighter location. “Lamplighter brings people together to enjoy each other’s company over a good beer, and with a union contract, we’ll continue to deliver the welcoming atmosphere and quality that makes us special. I’m proud to work in a place where all of the staff – from production and kitchen, to the front of house and sales team, to the people who clean every morning – have a seat at the table.” 

“When you work in a small business, it’s crucial that everyone gets to have their voice heard, and our union is the best way to achieve that,” said Gabe Packevicz, lead bartender at the CX Lamplighter location. “I’m looking forward to working with management to bargain for a contract that allows all of us to thrive. I’m so glad we won this election and can now move to securing our first contract. We’ll be able to negotiate wages, benefits, health care, and workplace safety that reflect the indispensable role we all play at Lamplighter.”

“We’re thrilled to officially welcome Lamplighter into the UFCW family and count them among the 12,000 workers represented by UFCW Local 1445,” said UFCW Local 1445 President Fernando Lemus. “They’re joining a union with a history of representing workers at distilleries, wineries, and breweries.”

“Lamplighter’s workers make this brewery a beloved local business with great beer served by friendly faces,” Lemus added. “We look forward to supporting them as they begin to bargain for a first contract and encourage our union members in the Greater Boston Area to stop by for a beer.”