Budtenders and inventory clerks at Home State Dispensary in Missouri have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 955. They are the first group of cannabis workers in the Kansas City metropolitan area to unionize and the first to join Local 955.

“At the current rate of sales, the Missouri cannabis industry is on track to gross over $1 billion in revenue for this year alone,” stated Jerry Wood, Local 955 president. “These workers are smart. They know that they need to strike while the iron is hot if they want a fair share of that windfall, and by joining the Teamsters, they can get it.”

Peter Finn, VP of the Western Region International said they're intending to do the same in more states. “These workers have the courage, tenacity, and solidarity that it takes to win a strong contract, and we’re here to make that happen. We’re going to do in Missouri the exact same thing we’re doing in California, Illinois, and every other state where cannabis workers are organizing with our union – fight hard to make careers in this industry sustainable and prosperous over the long term.”

Teamsters Local 955 represents workers in a wide variety of industries throughout Kansas City, Mo. and the surrounding communities.

“We are standing together to make working conditions better in this industry,” said Madison Ford, a budtender at Home State. “I know that the best way to do that is by making the Teamsters a norm for Missouri cannabis.”

Both the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) have been actively engaging with cannabis industry workers across the U.S.

Recent Unionization Efforts

This news follows several other successful unionizing efforts undertaken across the country over the past months within companies like Ayr Wellness (OTCQX:AYRWF) in Nevada, Cannabist Company Holdings Inc (OTCQX:CBSTF) in New Jersey, Cresco Labs Stock (OTCQX:CRLBF) in Illinois, Grassdoor in California, Verano Holdings Corp (OTCQX:VRNOF) in Chicago.

Additionally, a lobby representing marijuana entrepreneurs in Maine, is collaborating with a national labor union to represent cannabis interest in the state capital, reports MJBizDaily. The goal is to urge lawmakers for fair rights – rather than labor organizing. “Our primary goal is to advocate for safe and affordable access for patients and for consumers in both the adult-use and medical programs,” Susan Meehan, Maine Cannabis Union president told the outlet.

Photo: Benzinga edit with images by turbodesignand Oleksandrum via Shutterstock