The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) is experiencing a remarkable resurgence, adding 50,000 new members in just two and a half years. This surge in membership is a testament to the union’s success in organizing workers, particularly in the rapidly growing cannabis industry.
General President Sean M. O’Brien attributes this growth to a growing dissatisfaction among workers with corporate practices. “We’re making this International Union bigger, faster, and stronger,” O’Brien stated. “These organizing numbers show that workers are fighting back against corporate greed and joining the Teamsters in record numbers.”
The Teamsters have made significant inroads into the cannabis sector, organizing workers across the entire supply chain, from cultivation and distribution to retail. Last year, the union achieved a major victory by organizing a large group of Nabis warehouse workers and drivers in California. Eaze delivery drivers also joined the union ranks.
In Illinois, dispensary workers at Cresco Labs and Zen Leaf successfully unionized. Drivers and budtenders at Ascend Cannabis Provisions in Michigan and another group in Los Angeles also joined the union movement. This trend of cannabis worker unionization reflects a broader desire for workers in this burgeoning industry to secure fair wages, protections, and improved working conditions.
The Teamsters’ success in the cannabis industry is part of a broader expansion into non-traditional sectors. “The labor movement is more robust than it’s been in generations,” said General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. “The Teamsters are proud to represent more diverse workers in various sectors, including cannabis.”
This growth comes amidst a legal cannabis industry that has created nearly 500,000 full-time jobs in the U.S., with key states like California and Michigan leading the way. The expansion of unionization in the cannabis sector highlights a growing awareness among workers of the importance of collective bargaining in securing better wages, benefits, and job security.
