Welcome, Mayflower Medicinal workers!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 10th, 2025
CONTACT:
Jaime Parejo 401-316-1935, JParejo@UFCW328.org
Agricultural workers at Mayflower Medicinal, in Fall River, MA, agree to contract
Agricultural workers at Mayflower Medicinal, a cannabis grow facility in Fall River, MA, vote to accept their first union contract with UFCW 328.
Fall River, MA– On August 20th, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local Union 328, which represents nearly 10,000 workers in a variety of industries in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, announced that the hardworking team of Product Technicians and employed at Commonwealth Alternative Care in Fall River, Massachusetts, voted 10-4 to accept their first contract with their employer. The workers formed their union with a focus on gaining higher wages, better benefits, and securing a workplace they can grow at.
Nicholas Edwards, a Production Tech and a member of the negotiating committee, said, “I’m thrilled to have gotten this far. I’m very happy we went through with it, and having job security in these wild times is very important. We all know we deserve more, however. These massive multi state operators want to come into high income cities and reap the revenues of those demographics while doing the actual production in a part of the state where they can get away with low wages, while the revenue flees to whatever state houses their shell corporation. More workers have to stand up to them to make sure cannabis grows into an industry where people are paid what they are worth. People deserve to be rewarded for their passion for this plant and for their part in how lucrative it is. They will continue to treat the professionals in this industry as stoner kids for as long as we let them.”
Roisin Ellis, another Production Tech at the location, said,”Being unionized is a relief for me. Having this safety in the workplace is so important considering all of the constant changes our company is going through. I didn’t know much about unions before, but now I see why they are on the rise again. Everyone should feel this safe at work.Julie Nobrega, another PCA, said, “We have learned that when you STAND TOGETHER, no matter how small your crew may be no one can defeat you. You don’t have to feel despair. You can put feelings into action and when you see the bond that develops amongst your team when the wheels are in motion, the amount of pride and validation you feel is incomparable.”
Jaime Parejo, Director of Organizing with UFCW Local 328, said, “I want to congratulate all the Mayflower workers on officially becoming union members. The first contract is the foundation and with every contract after this we will build on this foundation. We appreciate all the hard work and dedication you showed throughout the negotiation process. Welcome to the UFCW family!”
The workers at Mayflower Medicinal join a growing movement both locally and across the country of cannabis workers coming together to ensure that workers have a collective voice in this continuously growing industry.
BACKGROUND:
On May 6th, 2024, UFCW Local 328 filed a Written Majority Authorization with the Department of Labor Relations, indicating that a majority of the agricultural workers employed at Mayflower Medicinal, in Fall River, Massachusetts, desired to be represented. Mayflower disagreed with the union’s assertions that the Production Technicians were classified as agricultural workers, which would not allow them to unionize under the relevant MA law. A challenge was filed with the Department of Labor Relations acting as the Neutral party. A series of replies occurred over the following months, and it was on July 2nd, 2024, that these workers received the great news that they won the challenge and could move forward in negotiations.
Over the next 13 months, an elected group of workers from Mayflower joined the UFCW 328 at the negotiation table with their employer. The group wanted to address the issues of pay rates, pay stagnation, and better sick leave policies. These negotiations culminated with a vote of 10-4 to accept the proposed contract, which secured an immediate raise as well as guaranteed raises throughout the life of the contract.
UFCW Local 328 is a leading advocate for Massachusetts and Rhode Island cannabis workers.
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UFCW Local 328 represents nearly 10,000 workers in a range of industries across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. As the recreational and medical cannabis industries have become mainstream across the United States, the UFCW has represented workers in cultivation and retail operations nationwide and has fought to ensure that working families have a seat at the table to secure important workplace protections and share in the gains and success of the cannabis industry. The UFCW currently is the largest representative of cannabis workers with tens of thousands of members in the industry nationwide.
