PHOENIX – On Thursday, January 25, workers at the Trulieve Cannabis Corp central
Phoenix production facility voted 37-4 in favor of unionizing with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 99.
The successful union election at Trulieve Magnolia is the first for Arizona agricultural workers in
the cannabis industry, and only the second-ever union election to be administered by the Arizona
Agricultural Labor Relations Board (AERB). Established in 1993, the AERB’s statutes are patterned after the National Labor Relations Act, which specifically excludes agricultural
workers from its jurisdiction. The last and only time workers petitioned for
union recognition through the board was in the year 2000 when workers at the Eurofresh tomato hothouse in Willcox voted to join UFCW Local 99.
Employees at the facility who were eligible to participate in Thursday’s vote included those in certain job classifications within the Cultivation and Post-Harvest departments.
Following the announcement of results by the AERB, UFCW Local 99 President Jim McLaughlin celebrated
the historic victory for cannabis workers and thanked the state board for its cooperation throughout the election process.
“Today, employees Trulieve Magnolia have proved that no matter the obstacle, when working people stand
together in solidarity and demand better for themselves and their families, there is nothing they cannot achieve,” said Jim McLaughlin, President of UFCW Local 99. “As we celebrate this historic win for workers, I would also like to commend AERB Executive
Secretary Lisa James and the entire board for their commitment to ensuring a free and fair election for all eligible employees.”
About UFCW 99
UFCW 99 is Arizona’s largest private-sector union, representing 25,000
essential workers at Fry’s, Safeway, and many other employers throughout the southwest. There are over 1.3 million UFCW members nationwide.
