Miranda Levingston at Patch reports from New York City’s Upper East Side that Herbal Care, a locally-owned Dispensary on Lexington Avenue, recently made New York State History – becoming the first legal Cannabis Retailer to Unionize. The Bud-Tenders at the store, which opened in 2023 as one of the City’s early entrants into the State’s adult-use Cannabis Market, have joined Retail Wholesale Department Store Workers/United Food & Commercial Union (RWDSU/UFCW) Local 338 – a New York Cannabis Union. The recent vote to Unionize, Founder Markel Bababekov told Patch, reinforces the shop’s commitment to Employee Rights, collaboration and long-term sustainability as the State’s legal market continues to expand. “Unionizing is not just about business – it’s about building a better future for everyone involved,” Bababekov said. For Bud-Tender Calib Wolters, Unionizing means he’s getting consistently 32 hours of work per week and that the entire Staff got a $1.10 per hour raise up to make around $19 an hour. As part of the Union contract, the Workers now have added recognized holidays, where Bud-Tenders on shift will make time-and-a-half pay.
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