The election cycle is heating up and cannabis policy is a rising star in debates and presidential press coverage. Even unlikely political candidates are siding with the plant as November comes closer. In Oregon, voters will be given a chance at passing Measure 119. The ballot measure would require every state-licensed cannabis operation to agree to remain neutral in the event of unionizing.
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The “United for Cannabis Workers” policy asserts that federal ambiguity leads to workers being forced to possibly face unsafe conditions and wage theft. If passed, it hopes to solve these problems by asking employers to enter a “labor peace agreement” with a union. This is an arrangement between an employer and a union where one or both sides parse out what they will and will not do in the event of unionizing.
“Workers across every industry should be free to unionize if they so choose. This ballot measure closes an age-old loophole that deprives that right to thousands of Oregon cannabis workers,” Dan Clay, president of UFCW Local 555, said in a press release.
UFCW Local 555 is a main supporter of the initiative, and attempted to pass a similar measure last year. Still, lawmakers and talking heads pushed back, citing that it would overextend state jurisdiction into federal territory managed by the National Labor Relations Act. This pushback caused the labor-forward measure to fail. This year, as rescheduling debates continue, the outcome may be different. However, states with similar regulations are not seeing totally positive results.
Oregon Measure 119 doubles down on exploitation prevention
California requires cannabis employers to enter “labor peace agreements” with unions before acquiring licensure, but it has not gone according to plan. The rule has led to an onslaught of “company unions” masquerading as labor organizers who are actually put in place by the employer to negotiate in favor of them in the event of unionizing.
Measure 119 may have written this danger out by determining licensees may only sign “labor peace agreements” with “bona fide labor organizations.” That means the organization represents the employee wages, hours, and/or working conditions with officers elected in a secret ballot. Lastly, the organization must be free from any employer interference or assistance to be “bona fide.”
This should protect workers from sham unions, like those still under fire in California, and may further ensure this ballot measure helps cannabis workers in an industry with little employee protection.
“Reports from workers across the state reveal a troubling pattern: toxic chemicals, unchecked safety concerns, and lack of proper PPE are rampant in the industry. Employers often cut corners, compromising both worker and consumer safety. Those who attempt to raise these issues often don’t come forward due to inadequate protections. As a result, when you purchase cannabis in Oregon, there’s no guarantee that workers’ safety wasn’t jeopardized in the process.” Sandy Humphrey, UFCW555 secretary-treasurer, said in the press release.
If the measure were to pass, employees would have a guarantee that employers would remain neutral at the least. Oregon voters will cast their choice for or against labor agreements for cannabis employers in November, along with a measure to give citizens the right to remove elected executives and another to establish a public commission to determine certain public officials’ salaries. With that and a presidential election, the Beaver State is having a big election year.
