More organized labor needs to get additional people following the economic downturn hurt it very much. The Teamsters Union is no exception, and also the union is looking with expectant eye toward what is proving to be a growth business in The United States. There is one place Teamster is most looking, claims the Associated Press. It is looking at the marijuana market.
Creating a union for marijuana growers
Teamsters got lots of cannabis farmers as new members. About 40 new members were in this category. Most of the members are expected to be from California as it has one of the most permissive medical marijuana laws out of every state when that is not certain. Regardless, there are real concerns as to how Teamsters will protect the rights of members whose work constitutes a federal crime.
Lou Marchetti, Teamsters liaison between the newly signed growers and Oakland, Calif., Teamsters Local 70, told the AP that he hadn’t prepared on such a thing as organizing cannabis workers when he joined the union 34 years ago.
“This is a whole new ballgame,” he said.
Any business that Teamsters think is breaking the law will not be a part of the company. Marchetti made this very clear when talking about growers in California.
More work with Marjyn Investments LCC for Teamsters
Gardening, trimming and even cloning are jobs held by employees of Marjyn Investments LLC, a company that contracts with medical pot patients to grow weed plants. . Benefits were added as well. These include pensions, paid vacations and health insurance. Wages are expected to rise in the next 15 months, says Teamsters Local 70. $18 to $25.75 per hour is the expected increase.
Getting problems with growing pot out of the system
States like California go against federal law in allowing marijuana plants to be grown for medical reasons. However, if the federal government decided to crack down on Marjyn Investments, Marchetti is uncertain exactly how Teamsters would respond. Based on the AP, being a weed trimmer is really hard work. This is why if the trimmers were abused in any way, the government would not step in on their behalf. In Oakland, there is an assistant regional director for National Labor Relations Board. This is Michael Leong who states the category of farm workers may not even consist of Teamster cannabis growers. The NLRB would not be in control at all if that is the case.
Cultivation ‘in the shadows’ with growing Marijuana dispensaries
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. Nobody knows what the labor standards need to be although many people are willing to start working on the change. There is not, at present moment, any kind of requirement to be within the Teamsters Union in order to operate while many applicants try to start up with applications.
Further reading
Associated Press
newser.com/article/d9ibmhtg0/us-teamsters-boost-membership-by-adding-medical-pot-growers-to-the-union-rolls.html
