Cannabis workers vote to unionize in Denver, Las Vegas, Maryland

Cannabis workers continue to unionize across the country, with the latest pacts reached in Colorado, Maryland and Las Vegas.

Budtenders and shift leads at the Ascend Cannabis store in Aberdeen, Maryland, voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 570, becoming the first Maryland marijuana retail workers to unionize.

Numerous Ascend customers supported workers during the organizing drive, donning “vote yes” buttons inside the dispensary during the lead up to the vote, according to a news release.

In Las Vegas, workers at marijuana product manufacturer CannaPunch Brands voted to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 711.

The 32-member unit is the first cannabis processor in Nevada to vote to join UFCW Local 711, according to a news release.

UFCW Local 711 is part of the UFCW International, the largest private sector union in the country, representing 1.2 million workers and their families in cannabis, grocery, meatpacking, food processing, healthcare, retail and other industries in every state, Canada and Puerto Rico.

A 19-member team at the Silver Stem Fine Cannabis retail store in Littleton, Colorado, voted to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7.

Voting to unionize is the beginning of the contract negotiation process, which can take up to 15 months.