Special Report: New Labor Groups Organize Marijuana Workers

In the last nine months, Eric Engstrom has been criss-crossing California as president and co-founder of Union Local 13, whose motto, “Don't Leaf Us Out,” describes the efforts to unionize marijuana cultivators, processors and distributors. Unionization of marijuana workers already is under way elsewhere. Members of Teamsters Local 70 in Oakland added nearly 40 new members in September when they organized the nation's first group of unionized marijuana growers — vowing to raise their wages from $18 per hour to $25.75 an hour within 15 months.