--- title: Cannabis Grow Workers Gain Union Benefits! description: Washington cannabis grow workers win union rights under new law effective July 27. image: https://420intel.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/The%20image%20features%20a%20vibrant%20cannabis%20farm%20under%20a%20clear%20blue%20sky%20where%20workers%20in%20green%20uniforms%20are%20actively%20tending%20to%20lush%20cannabis%20plants%20The%20foreground%20shows%20several%20workers%20carefully%20inspecting%20the%20plants%20while%20others%20are%20seen%20harvesting%20leave-2.jpeg --- [![420intel.com](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%2016-1.png?width=300&height=162&name=Asset%2016-1.png "420intel.com")](https://420intel.com) - [Home](https://420intel.com) - [Advertise](https://420intel.com/advertise) - [Directory](https://420intel.com/directory) - [Topics](https://420intel.com/blog) - [Recreational News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/recreational-cannabis-news) - [Business News](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-business-news) - [Politics](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-politics) - [Technology](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-technology-news) - [Research](https://420intel.com/tag/medical-cannabis-news) - [Contact](https://420intel.com/contact-us) - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/420-intel/) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://x.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) ### Press ESC to close [![420intel.com](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%2016-1.png?width=300&height=162&name=Asset%2016-1.png "420intel.com")](https://420intel.com) - [Home](https://420intel.com) - [Advertise](https://420intel.com/advertise) - [Directory](https://420intel.com/directory) - [Topics](https://420intel.com/blog) - [Recreational News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/recreational-cannabis-news) - [Business News](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-business-news) - [Politics](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-politics) - [Technology](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-technology-news) - [Research](https://420intel.com/tag/medical-cannabis-news) - [Contact](https://420intel.com/contact-us) - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/420-intel/) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://x.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) # Cannabis Grow Workers Gain Union Benefits! - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - [Cannabis Laws](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-laws) - 16 July 2025 Agricultural workers in the United States don’t have the same collective bargaining rights and protections as other workers, but for a few thousand workers in Washington, that’s about to change. Starting July 27, agricultural cannabis grow workers in Washington will have a state-recognized right to unionize — and have those rights enforced if employers retaliate.  House Bill 1141, which was signed into law April 22 by Gov. Bob Ferguson, gives the Washington Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) authority over collective bargaining for agricultural cannabis grow workers.  United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 3000 worked on HB 1141 with one of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self (D-Mukilteo).  “We closed a long-standing gap in worker protections to give cannabis grow growers in Washington state the same basic rights that their peers who work in retail and processing already have,” UFCW Local 3000 political director Dustin Lambro said. As its name suggests, PERC deals almost entirely with public sector workers. Under the new law, the commission will now also administer collective bargaining rights for agricultural cannabis grow workers. Agricultural worker unions like United Farm Workers already represent farm workers in Washington, but not in the cannabis industry. Farm workers aren’t prohibited from unionizing, but they aren’t included in the protections provided to other workers under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). That means employers don’t face court orders or back pay requirements for firing  pro-union workers or refusing to bargain.   PERC Executive Director Michael Sellars said the agency has only dealt with agriculture peripherally, like through its jurisdiction over the Department of Agriculture and ports.  “We have jurisdiction over certain aspects of the flow of the commodity, but this is the first where we actually have jurisdiction over the workers doing the agricultural work,” Sellars said.  PERC oversees collective bargaining rights for around 475,000 public sector employees. Washington’s cannabis industry is estimated to employ roughly 6,000 agricultural workers. Lambro said UFCW Local 3000 pushed for a bill focused on cannabis, rather than all agricultural workers, because they’ve already organized workers in the cannabis industry but aren’t expanding into other agricultural sectors. Local 3000 represents workers at eight cannabis dispensaries and two processing facilities.  Lambro said he doesn’t expect a huge rush of unionizations as soon as the law goes into effect, because it will take time for workers to learn their rights. Cannabis is one of the most challenging industries to organize, Lambro said, because it’s a relatively new industry, with very high worker turnover.     [by NW Labor Press](https://nwlaborpress.org/2025/07/cannabis-grow-workers-get-union-rights/)   [Cannabis Laws](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-laws) [Marijuana legalization](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/marijuana-legalization) ![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=200&height=200&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) #### [Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) At 420 Intel, we cover cannabis legalization news throughout the world, offer reliable information for cannabis business owners, detail technological advances that impact the marijuana industry, cover marijuana rallies from across the globe, and everything in between. - - - [Medical Cannabis News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/medical-cannabis-news) [![Nebraska Medical Cannabis: Input Needed on Rules](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AdobeStock_308157369.jpeg?width=550&height=395&name=AdobeStock_308157369.jpeg)](https://420intel.com/blog/nebraska-medical-cannabis-input-needed-on-rules) - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - 19 November 2025 #### [Nebraska Medical Cannabis: Input Needed on Rules](https://420intel.com/blog/nebraska-medical-cannabis-input-needed-on-rules) ### Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission Invites Manufacturer Input at December Listening Session The... 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