OUR MEMBERS AT WORK Jesse Peria is a Budtender and UFCW Local 175 Union Steward at Canna Cabana on Barton Street in Hamilton. Canna Cabana is a chain of retail dispensaries where customers can purchase cannabis products. Jesse has worked at the store for the last four years and he also worked for 17 years in shops selling cannabis accessories leading up to legalization. As a Budtender, Jesse is one of those employees who customers turn to for his expertise and advice. Jesse was integral to the successful organizing drive and certification vote in April 2020 that brought the Canna Cabana members into the Union. “It was pretty intense. We talked to our co-workers about organizing and UFCW helped us organize and prepare for the vote,” explained Jesse. “The whole process took a few weeks but we had only one 'no' vote because we were able to have those discussions with everyone while the union guided us through the whole process.” After joining the Union, Jesse took on the role of Steward to represent the best interests of his co-workers. “I believe that since the downturn of unions in the 1970s, wages in every sector have fallen behind the cost of living,” said Jesse. “Increasing support for unions benefits pretty much everyone. I, like most people, have had my fair share of terrible employers. Putting in my fair share to change things helps me out as much as it does everyone else so I'm happy to do it. It feels good to help fight for what’s right.” With the company since it began, Jesse has been through an organizing drive and two negotiated contracts. He has a lot to be proud of, including helping lead his co-workers to be among the first cannabis dispensary workers to secure a collective agreement in Canada, ratifying their deal in December 2020. In fact, the members at Canna Cabana on Barton Street, including Jesse, were the first retail cannabis workers to unionize in Ontario, and UFCW Local 175 is proud to represent a growing number of workers, now at five locations. Page 10
Checkout Winter 2023
Every morning, the staff at Canna Cabana put the store together by pulling the entire stock out of the vault. And they pack it all back up at night for security reasons. “Our store is one of the busiest in the province so we usually have a lineup outside the door controlled by a security guard to limit the flow of traffic in the store,” explained Jesse. Serving anywhere between 500-900 people per day means that sales are definitely how employees spend most of the day. The moments between customers usually gives them enough time for a quick clean up and restock but the pace can sometimes be exhausting. “The wonderful thing about working in the cannabis industry is that as much stress as the job can cause, it also offers relief for that stress,” said Jesse. The products sold in the dispensary are sealed in opaque containers, which can make it difficult to explain to customers who haven’t yet tried the products themselves. Plus, new products get released on a weekly basis and dealing with a controlled substance means there are many guidelines and laws to follow.
“This industry requires Budtenders to spend an enormous amount of their own time and money to research the products they sell and have extensive knowledge to make proper recommendations.” In addition to guaranteed wages and increases in their collective agreement, Jesse says that discount policies and benefit plans are vital parts of having a Union contract; full-time Budtenders at the Barton Street location have dental and vision coverage benefits. “We have more paid holidays than the majority of retail stores,” added Jesse. “Most importantly, we have a fairer and more balanced disciplinary system that offers members protection from the power imbalance found in most non-Union workplaces.” Jesse enjoys being around people that he loves to work with and getting to use his experience with
