Budtenders at two Eugene cannabis dispensaries voted unanimously to leave UFCW Local 555. The vote was 0-5 at Flowr of Lyfe on Jan. 22 and 0-9 at Spacebuds The Dispensary on Jan. 23. The two were the only unionized cannabis dispensaries in Oregon.
Workers at Flowr of Lyfe had voted 3-1 to unionize back in March 2022. In December 2023, Local 555 filed an unfair labor practice charge against the company, alleging illegal coercive actions, but withdrew the charge a week later.
Workers at Spacebuds The Dispensary voted 5-4 to unionize in April 2022. Local 555 accused the company of bad faith bargaining in charges filed Nov. 9, 2022 with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB); those charges are still pending. NLRB dismissed a July 2022 charge.
Local 555 spokesperson Miles Eshaia said the union is running an ad campaign promoting a boycott of the two shops, but has no other comment at this time. On Spacebuds and Flowr of Life pages on Local 555’s website, the union calls both companies union-busters, saying they engaged in union busting campaigns preventing their workers from reaching a fair contract, but offering no details.
Did anyone ask the workers for comment? Something stinks.