Warren, Michigan (November 7, 2024) – Workers at the PharmaCann cannabis facility in Warren, Michigan, have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 337, continuing a nationwide trend of unionizing workers in the cannabis industry. This marks a significant step for the workers at PharmaCann, who are involved in logistics, distribution, and manufacturing of the company’s cannabis products.
A Growing Labor Movement in the Cannabis Industry
“The cannabis industry is at the forefront of the modern labor movement, and we are incredibly excited to welcome our newest members into the Teamsters,” said Todd Lince, President of Teamsters Local 337. Lince emphasized that this vote is just the beginning of a larger movement aimed at ensuring workers in the cannabis sector receive fair compensation and benefits. “Together, we can turn these jobs into careers,” he added.
With the vote, 59 new members of Local 337 join the union, which already represents PharmaCann’s retail workers in Illinois. The Warren facility, however, is the first of the company’s production facilities to affiliate with the Teamsters and is also the first cannabis operation in the Detroit metro area to do so.
Expanding Influence Across the Cannabis Industry
The Teamsters, a union known for its strong presence in various sectors, including food processing, are steadily expanding their influence in the cannabis industry. According to Jesse Case, Director of the Teamsters Food Processing Division, the Teamsters are working to secure better pay, benefits, and working conditions for cannabis workers across the country. “As we continue to make inroads at dispensaries and cannabis processing facilities across the country, we’re setting an example for everyone in the industry,” Case said.
The union has secured regular pay increases for workers in Illinois, as well as protections against unjust termination, fair scheduling practices, and numerous other benefits. These are the same terms the Teamsters are now advocating for in Warren, where they will soon begin negotiations with the company for their new members.
Advocating for Fair Compensation
Amberlin Stark, a cultivation technician at PharmaCann and one of the new Teamsters, voiced the concerns that motivated the vote. “While prices have gone up by nearly 50 percent in 15 years, our incomes have barely moved,” Stark said. “If corporations’ compensation has gone way up, but our wages haven’t, how is this a fair exchange? As Teamsters, we are going to correct this injustice.”
This victory in Warren highlights the growing momentum behind cannabis workers’ demands for fair wages and workplace protections as the industry expands across the United States.
About Teamsters Local 337
Teamsters Local 337 represents thousands of workers across various industries in Detroit and Port Huron, Michigan. The union’s expansion into the cannabis sector is part of a broader movement to provide better working conditions for an increasingly important workforce in this growing industry.
For more information on Teamsters Local 337, visit teamsterslocal337.com.
