Kansas City Cannabis Workers Vote to Unionize, Joining Teamsters Local 955

LOS ANGELES— Employees at Home State Dispensary in Kansas City have made a landmark decision to unionize, becoming the first group of cannabis workers in the metro area to do so. The budtenders and inventory clerks have elected to join Teamsters Local 955, marking a significant moment for labor relations within Missouri’s burgeoning cannabis industry.

In a pivotal vote conducted on Tuesday, the dispensary staff moved to align with the Teamsters to negotiate for better working conditions and ensure a fair share of the industry’s profits. Missouri’s cannabis market is experiencing a rapid growth trajectory, with sales projected to surpass $1 billion in revenue this year, as noted by Jerry Wood, the president of Local 955. In a press release, Wood commended the workers’ initiative, stating, “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.”

The push for unionization reflects a broader trend in the cannabis sector, as workers seek to solidify their rights and share in the financial success of the industry. Madison Ford, a budtender at Home State, voiced a collective desire among her colleagues to improve working conditions and set a precedent for the role of unions in Missouri’s cannabis space. She underscored the importance of Teamsters becoming a standard in the industry for driving positive change.

The Teamsters union, with its extensive history of advocating for workers’ rights, has expressed strong support for the Home State Dispensary employees. Peter Finn, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and Food Processing Division Director, assured that the union is committed to securing sustainable and prosperous careers for those in the cannabis industry. “These workers have the courage, tenacity, and solidarity that it takes to win a strong contract, and we’re here to make that happen,” Finn declared.

As these Kansas City cannabis workers chart a new course for labor in the industry, their move could inspire similar actions across the state and beyond, signaling a significant shift in the workforce dynamic within the rapidly growing cannabis market.