Teamsters Added 50,000 New Members In Less Than 3 Years, Partly Due To Cannabis Industry Growth

The Teamsters' expansion into the cannabis industry reflects a broader trend of workers in emerging markets seeking union support.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has experienced substantial growth, adding 50,000 new members in just two and a half years, thanks in part by the cannabis industry.

General president Sean M. O'Brien credited the membership growth to workers' increasing dissatisfaction with corporate practices.

"We're making this International Union bigger, faster, and stronger," O'Brien stated. "These organizing numbers show that workers are fighting back against corporate greed and joining the Teamsters in record numbers."

Union Success In The Cannabis Industry

Part of this growth stems from the Teamsters' organizing efforts within the booming cannabis sector. Last year the union achieved a significant presence across the entire cannabis supply chain, from cultivation and distribution to retail.

Recently a large group of Nabis warehouse workers and drivers joined the union in California, as did Eaze delivery drivers. Meanwhile, in Illinois, dispensary workers at Cresco Labs and Zen Leaf unionized as did drivers and budtenders at Ascend Cannabis Provisions in both Michigan and another group in Los Angeles, among other cases.

Beyond this expansion, the Teamsters have also expanded their influence into other non-traditional industries.

"The labor movement is more robust than it's been in generations," said general secretary-treasurer Fred Zuckerman. "The Teamsters are proud to represent more diverse workers in various sectors, including cannabis."

Cannabis Jobs On The Rise

The ongoing expansion of cannabis worker unions comes in the context of a legal cannabis industry that has created nearly 500,000 full-time jobs in the U.S., with key states like California and Michigan leading in job growth.

These positions span cultivation, retail and delivery, with workers increasingly turning to unions to secure fair wages, protections and better working conditions.

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