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UFCW labour union celebrates success at Seed & Stone cannabis

(Globe Newswire) New Westminster, B.C. — Budtenders and staff at three Seed & Stone cannabis shops are celebrating after unanimously voting in favour of their first collective agreement last week, not long after members of the same union ratified a first contract at two Farm Dispensary locations.

The new Seed & Stone agreement will introduce several protections and workplace improvements into the Victoria and Delta dispensaries.

Staff employed at the Seed & Stone Victoria shops joined the B.C. Budtenders Union – a division of the UFCW 1518 – in 2021. In 2022, workers at the Delta location mobilized and joined their coworkers, strengthening the union’s power at the bargaining table.

“There’s a reason that 75 per cent of the private dispensaries in Victoria have organized with us. Cannabis workers are realizing that with a union they have a voice, and the more of them that join the movement, the more power they can build.” — Patrick Johnson, UFCW 1518 secretary-treasurer

By bargaining together, these unionists were able to maximize pressure on the employer and come to an agreement on life-changing workplace improvements, including:

·       Higher starting rates (an increase of about 15 per cent)
·       Hourly scale with guaranteed wage increases
·       Improvements to breaks and scheduling
·       A grievance process and shop-steward language

Now that the Seed & Stone deal is ratified, every dispensary in Victoria with B.C. Budtenders Union representation boasts a collective agreement. Across stores, members have revolutionized the industry. As the union grows, diversifies, and ages, the standard that they set is only going to get higher.