Employees at Valley Wellness in Raritan voted to unionize, according to a Wednesday announcement from United Food and Commercial Workers Local 360.
As Valley Wellness notes on its website, “Providing great products starts with a great foundation … That means employing a knowledgeable staff (and) providing a welcoming environment.”
According to Valley Wellness, its “staff knows cannabis inside and out,” and are noted as a key driver of customer satisfaction and, ultimately, the company’s current and future success.
Valley Wellness employees now add their names to the growing list of UFCW Local 360 members from New Jersey’s young marijuana economy. The highest-scoring 2019 applicant for a medical dispensary license, Valley Wellness recently announced its intention to pursue a conversion license, allowing expansion beyond medical marijuana and into adult use.
“Valley Wellness, and its owner, Sarah Trent, have already proven to be a great addition to the growing New Jersey cannabis community,” Hugh Giordano, UFCW Local 360’s director of organizing, said. “We’re looking forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with what is one of the first stand-alone dispensary operators in the state, a company that provides a refreshing alternative to the large number of multistate operators here.”
“Sarah and her team clearly recognize the role professional employees play in driving long-term success,” Giordano said. “So, it was a real vote of confidence in the future of both the company and the industry when those same professional employees carefully considered, and then selected, the career-supporting benefits that come with joining Local 360.”
“It is a very positive development. After a blockbuster 2022, this year is continuing the trend of votes in favor of unionizing,” Sam Ferraino Jr., UFCW Local 360 president, said. “This vote is not just in support of unions organizing, it’s in the power of unions to positively impact businesses, families and communities, while maintaining high operating standards powered by a diverse and skilled workforce.”
