Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Workers at the Apothecarium Dispensary in Cumberland, Maryland, voted 25-0 to organize with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 27. The workers are seeking to address longstanding issues, including poor wages, unaffordable benefits, safety concerns and a lack of support from the parent company, TerrAscend Corp.
“The workers had been increasingly agitated about their pay and working conditions since TerrAscend Corp. bought Allegany Medical Marijuana Dispensary,” the workers said in a statement. “Working conditions at the dispensary have been abysmal since the corporate acquisition. Workers have had to endure leaking ceilings, bathrooms in disrepair, exposed electrical wires in the workplace and air conditioning that doesn’t properly circulate throughout the building.”