FlowerHire, Managing Partners, Jason Desentz & Mike Siebold
We talk through a variety of topics around new markets, ideal backgrounds for industry executives, the rise of unions, benefits beyond pay and healthcare, and more..
Background. Jason Desentz, Managing Partner is a HR leader with over 20+ years of progressive human resources experience working for start-up cannabis companies & Fortune 100 companies. He has developed an innovative framework to help companies build resilient and sustainable organizations. Mike Siebold, Managing Partner is a strategic advisor and investor to several cannabis teams domestically. His exposure to the hiring demand and movement of people within the cannabis industry gives him a unique perspective on the prospects and viability of players across the entire ecosystem.
Notes:
Cannabis union wins signal more labor-management conflicts ahead (MJBizDaily). Over the past month, both the Teamsters and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)—the two most prominent unions active in cannabis—have notched what observers contacted for this article said are notable victories.
Unions. In the past month, Unions have come onto the spotlight with planned strikes at GTI and PharmaCann.
At three Chicago-area dispensaries run by GTI, Teamster-organized retail workers went on strike for two weeks. GTI workers at three dispensaries in IL (part of Teamsters Local 777) started their strike at 4:20p on April 19th, lasting for 30 days in an attempt to increase wages and retirement benefits (AWH pays $19.00/hour minimum wage whereas GTI paid $16.50). Minimum wage in IL is at $13.00. Local 777 members say that RISE dispensaries demanded that workers remove pro-union buttons while they were on the job, which is a violation of the National Labor Relations Act. The strike arrives as workers in multiple states push for a higher minimum wage to meet the cost of living.
“The company’s demand that the workers remove their pins is part of a broader pattern of disrespect to their workforce,” Local 777 President Jim Glimco said. “GTI is refusing to offer these men and women wages commensurate with the cost of living, or retirement package that is acceptable for Teamsters. It’s far past time this company recognizes the people responsible for all of the success it’s had.”
Employees at West Haven, CT Cannabis Cultivator Advanced Grow Labs have formed the first union within the state’s Cannabis industry. In total, 48 workers at Advanced Grow Labs, owned by Chicago-based multistate cannabis operator Green Thumb Industries, have formed a union with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 919. The company grows cannabis and processes other products at its West Haven facility for both Connecticut’s medical and recreational cannabis markets.
Missouri Cannabis Retailer, Shangri-La, Picketed by Pro-Union Workers, Activists. The picket line followed the signing of a new petition by 16 Shangri-La employees who want the United Food and Commercial Workers Union to represent them. That petition was filed with the National Labor Relations Board the first week of April, and after that, the UFCW alleges that the company began retaliating against some of the workers, including firing several and suspending others, the Independent reported.
Cannabis union workers at PharmaCann get 20% raise. Unionized workers at five Chicago-area PharmaCann adult-use cannabis dispensaries have received a 20% wage hike over three years, the latest pay raise secured by organized labor in the marijuana industry. The increase represents yet another win for organized labor, which continues to pile pressure on major cannabis industry operators across the country.
Annual Lobby on Cannabis. Annual lobbying on Cannabis is ~$5M, a fraction of the billions in tax revenue generated by the industry. It includes a fragmented group of Canadian LPs (Canopy Growth, Cronos), MSOs (Cresco Labs, Columbia Care, Trulieve), and Cannabis Tech (Weedmaps, Metrc, LeafLink, Dutchie)
👋 The Highly Objective Podcast is hosted by Dai Truong, who leads Cannabis Investment Banking at Arlington Capital Advisors.. Third-party information presented here and links to third-party content are for informational purposes only and are not intended as a recommendation, offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument, security or investment. The information provided is not warranted as to completeness or accuracy and is subject to change without notice. Linking to third-party sites in no way implies an endorsement or affiliation of any kind between Arlington Capital Advisors, LLC, or its affiliates and any third party. The information in this blog constitutes my own opinions (and any opinions posted by guest bloggers from time to time) and it should not be regarded as a description of services provided by Arlington Capital Advisors, LLC or any affiliate.