Workers at Nanaimo Trees Cannabis join union – UFCW 1518

Nanaimo, B.C. – April 8, 2024 – Workers at two Trees Cannabis locations in Nanaimo have joined their colleagues at other locations across Vancouver Island by joining UFCW Local 1518, establishing Trees Cannabis as British Columbia’s first private wall-to-wall unionized cannabis chain.

Staff were driven to organize as a show of solidarity with their colleagues—fighting back against the unique pressures associated with the cannabis industry, including low wages, minimal protections, and limited job security. The decision to unite under UFCW 1518 membership came from the workers’ collective efforts for stronger workplace protections and recognition for the unique role of Budtenders in British Columbia.

“We are proud to welcome UFCW 1518’s newest members as they make history by organizing as the province’s first private wall-to-wall unionized cannabis chain.” says UFCW 1518 President Kim Novak. “These workers are setting a new standard for the cannabis industry, and we anticipate that their achievement will send shockwaves across the cannabis labour landscape, empowering workers across Canada to demand fairness and respect in their own workplaces.”

The BC Budtenders Union, a division of UFCW 1518, formed in 2020 when cannabis workers in Victoria united as the first unionized dispensaries in Canada. Now representing 75% of private dispensaries in Victoria and numerous others throughout the province, these workers are united in the fight for safety, fair wages, and respect for the vital role they play in their workplaces.

Read more about the organizing victory at Trees Cannabis here.

If you are a cannabis worker and would like to know more about the BC Budtenders’ Union, visit their homepage here at  ufcw1518.com/cannabis.

UFCW Local 1518 represents more than 26,000 members working in the community health, hospitality, retail, cannabis, industrial, and professional sectors across British Columbia. To read more about UFCW 1518 and its outstanding work, visit the Local Union’s website.

How can I join the union?

Are you a non-unionized worker who would like to enjoy the benefits of a UFCW Canada union contract? Do you and your co-workers want to gain the union advantage at work? Join Canada’s best union, UFCW Canada, to make your workplace better today. Click here to join now.