Organized labor is feeling the effects of the recession and needs to bolster its membership ranks. There has been difficulties even within the Teamsters Union that hopes that America’s leading growth industries currently can help. There is one place Teamster is most looking, states the Associated Press. It’s looking at the weed sector.
Teamsters working to get marijuana growers unionized
In September, Teamsters picked up 40 new members, all of them marijuana growers. There is no proof, however many assume the members must mostly be from California. This is because in the whole nation, California has the most permissive medical cannabis laws. Regardless, you will find real concerns as to how Teamsters will protect the rights of members whose work constitutes a federal crime.
The AP talked to Lou Marchetti, who works with Teamsters local 70 with newly signed farmers, who said that when he joined about 34 years ago, he didn’t think he’d work with pot workers.
”This is a whole new ballgame,” he explained.
Marchetti was quite clear when he informed the news agency that Teamsters would not get involved with marijuana growers in California if they believed the business was not operating within the bounds of state law.
Teamsters ends up with more work with Marjyn Investments LCC on the loose
Marjyn Investments LCC works with gardening, trimming and cloning. The company also works to show patients how they can grow weed plants if they are medical cannabis patients. A two year contract was what the Teamsters Union cooked up. Now they all have paid vacation, health care insurance and even pensions. Wages are expected to rise within the next 15 months, states Teamsters Local 70. $18 to $25.75 per hour is the expected increase.
Weeding out the little snags of growing pot
Medical purposes are the only reason why states like California can get away with allowing marijuana plants to be grown. Otherwise, it is against federal law. Marchetti doesn’t know what Teamsters would do if Marjyn Investments got the federal government on its case all the sudden. According to the AP, being a pot trimmer is really hard work. This is why if the trimmers were abused in any way, the government wouldn’t step in on their behalf. The Teamster cannabis farmers aren’t even farm workers, says Michael Leong who’s the National Labor Relations Board assistant regional director in Oakland. The NLRB wouldn’t be in control at all if that is the case.
Growing marijuana dispensaries with cultivation nevertheless ‘in the shadows’
California law has allowed marijuana dispensaries to grow into a booming new business, but existing laws have not fully defined just how cultivation operations like Marjyn Investments LLC should be regulated. There is definite interest from applicants wanting to break to the field, however how applicable labor standards should be applied is a work in progress. There isn’t, at present moment, any kind of requirement to be within the Teamsters Union in order to operate while numerous applicants are trying to start up with applications.
Associated Press
newser.com/article/d9ibmhtg0/us-teamsters-boost-membership-by-adding-medical-pot-growers-to-the-union-rolls.html
