HomeMy WebLinkAbout3A Public CommentJoe Duffie
President
May 26, 2021
United Food and Commercial Workers Union
Honorable Mayor Holstege and Members of the Council,
Matt Bruno
Secretary-Treasurer
I am writing on behalf of the 21,000 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers
Union, Local 1167 (UFCW 1167). I wish to express my strong support for Item 3A on the
agenda for the City Council meeting on May 27, 2021, Consideration of Adoption of Ordinance
Requiring Labor Peace Agreements.
For over a decade, UFCW has been leading efforts across the country and in California to ensure
that cannabis workers are not left behind as the cannabis industry grows.
Currently, the State of California requires all cannabis employers with twenty (20) or more
employees to enter into a Labor Peace Agreement (LPA). Our Union has worked with different
municipalities to lower this threshold so that more workers have a voice on the job. An LPA
gives employees the choice to have representation in their workplace, or not to have
representation, without the fear of intimidation by the employer. An LPA helps create a neutral
environment and process that allows for workers to decide what is right for them and their
coworkers.
LPAs help create a true partnership between employers, workers, and a union. We work to offer
worker trainings and jobs with access to health benefits and good wages, which help set the
standard for the types of jobs that are being created by the cannabis industry.
For these reasons, I strongly urge the City Council to vote to approve Agenda Item 3A as
written. Requiring that employers with five (5) or more employees enter into an LPA will result
in a more stable and prosperous industry, allowing tax revenues to grow without fear of
disruption. A lower threshold also will increase the opportunity for more workers in Palm
Springs to have family-sustaining wages and benefits such as healthcare, pensions,
apprenticeship programs and health and safety trainings.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
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~W Local 1167
855 West San Bernardino Avenue• P.O. Box l 167, Bloomington, CA 92316
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Business Office: (909) 877-5000 • Toll Free: (800) 698-UFCW • (Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m .)
Insurance: Food and Meat (909) 877-111 O • Drug and General Sales (909) 877-2331
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