Yes. Worker safety, including equipment and training, is a core bargaining issue.

Regardless of if you are a budtender, a cultivation technician or any other type of cannabis worker - a union contract can secure predictable scheduling and reduce burnout caused by unfair rotations.

The cannabis industry is seeing massive consolidation. A union contract can include a "Successorship Clause," which requires a new owner to honour your existing wages, seniority, and working conditions. Without a union, a new corporate owner can legally fire the entire staff and start over.

Yes. Occupational health is a top priority for cannabis workers unions. A union contract can mandate independent air quality testing, provide PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) at no cost to you, and establish a safety committee so workers can report issues like powdery mildew or pesticide exposure without fear of being labeled a "troublemaker."

This is a common myth. Unions actually help protect your tips by codifying tip-pooling rules into a legal contract. This prevents managers from "skimming" or changing the rules on a whim. Unionized budtenders typically negotiate for higher base wages ($2–$10 more per hour than non-union peers) so that tips become a bonus rather than essential income.

A union will protect you by standing up for your rights and protections granted under the law. Unionizing gives workers a stronger voice and greater leverage in ensuring a fairer, safer, more equitable work environment. Ultimately, a union can lead to better working conditions and increased job satisfaction. As your union, Teamsters 987 can work to address concerns at your workplace – ranging from wages and benefits to scheduling to safer workplaces.

A business that is successful and profitable will not close because the workers decide to unionize. The threat of “closing” is a common tactic used by owners to frighten workers away from unionizing.

No. They are not able to access the results of a petition. It is confidential. When an application for certification is submitted, the Alberta Labour Relations Board Officer receives a current list of all employees. It is up to the Board to confirm if you have enough votes to support the application to start a union – not your employer.

When a collective agreement is in place, all employees will be required to pay dues. The amount is calculated by multiplying your hourly wage rate by 2.5 and adding $2.

So if your hourly rate of pay is $20/hour, your dues would be: $20×2.5=$50 $50+$2=$52/month for Union dues.

Remember: YOU DON’T PAY DUES UNTIL YOU AND YOUR COWORKERS VOTE TO ACCEPT A CONTRACT! There is no cost to you throughout the process of us negotiating your first collective agreement.

It can vary from one workplace to the next. Common concerns involve fair work hours and scheduling, wages and benefits, workplace safety, and employee training and development.

As the cannabis industry grows in Canada, an increasing number of retail and production employees are seeking the protection of a union. This has been most noticeable in BC, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. Alberta is following suit. Production workers are also starting to realize that they too could be benefiting like their colleagues in the manufacturing sector.