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<\/a><\/p>\nBy John Heinis\/Hudson County View<\/p>\n
\u201cFor workers at The Cannabis Place, this is about whether their jobs will provide fair wages, access to affordable health care, and a meaningful voice in the workplace,\u201d UFCW Local 360 Director of Organizing Hugh Giordano said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cLocal 360 provided meaningful support to Osbert\u2019s business and worked with him to build and launch a career-oriented training partnership because we believed in the commitments he made. He may have decided to simply abandon those commitments, but his employees deserve to see them fulfilled, including at the bargaining table.\u201d<\/p>\n UFCW views the TCP\u2019s lawsuit as an attempt to evade the commitments CEO Osbert Orduna publicly made to his workers.<\/p>\n According to the complaint<\/a>, TCP announced an LPA with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 360\u00a0in July 2024<\/a> to comply with state licensing requirements.<\/p>\n TCP terminated that agreement in June 2026 following ongoing disputes in which the union allegedly attempted to leverage interest arbitration through the Labor Peace Agreement (LPA) early in the bargaining process to force unfavorable provisions not practical or sustainable for TCP, the suit claims.<\/p>\n The suit<\/a>, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges that the mandatory LPA requirements imposed by the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission under the CREAMM Act conflict with the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Commerce Clause of the Constitution.<\/p>\n \u201cWe respect Mr. Orduna\u2019s military service and enthusiastically supported him in building this business. So, the recent dishonorable behavior on his part is very disappointing,\u201d UFCW Local 360 President Sam Ferraino declared.<\/p>\n \u201cTCP\u2019s workers deserve an employer that deals honorably with those helping it succeed. We\u2019re asking Osbert to be that kind of employer, to follow through on public pledges, and to work honestly toward a fair contract that leads to meaningful improvements on the job.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the union, TCP offered neither a counterproposal nor suggested revisions to its opening contract proposal.<\/p>\n Giordano raised concerns about the lack of a counterproposal before the Jersey City Council on October 7th, emphasizing the potential negative consequences for employees seeking better pay and working conditions.<\/p>\n While the council subsequently pushed their vote<\/a> on renewing the TCP\u2019s license, a federal judge granted temporary restraints<\/a> to allow the dispensary to stay open at least an additional 14 days, both as HCV first reported.<\/p>\n \u201cAny serious consideration of social equity must include worker equity. Opening doors for minority-owned and veteran-owned businesses matters,\u201d Ferraino added.<\/p>\n \u201cSo does ensuring that the people working in those businesses have an opportunity to build secure, family-supporting careers.\u201d<\/p>\n In response, Orduna didn\u2019t show any signs of backing down.<\/p>\n \u201cUFCW Local 360\u2019s press release is a desperate PR stunt designed to distract from their own reckless actions. Just days ago, their Director of Organizing stood before the Jersey City Municipal Council and actively urged them to withhold our local license,\u201d he told HCV.<\/p>\n \u201cHad the federal court not intervened, the union\u2019s political maneuvering would have forced the immediate closure of our Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business and eliminated the jobs of our 20 Jersey City employees overnight. Attempting to destroy a business and put our staff out on the street is not protecting employees; it is a coercive pressure tactic. Thankfully, the federal judicial system saw through this blatant overreach and issued an emergency injunction.\u201d<\/p>\n He went on to say that \u201cbad faith\u201d claims are hypocritical since TCP filed unfair labor practice charges against UFCW Local 360 with the National Labor Relations Board in August.<\/p>\n \u201cWe fully support our employees\u2019 rights under the National Labor Relations Act. However, we will not be bullied into surrendering our federal rights or capitulating to unconstitutional, state-sponsored mandates dictated by a union cartel,\u201d Orduna declared.<\/p>\n \u201cWe went to federal court to protect our constitutional rights and our employees\u2019 jobs, and we look forward to prevailing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n