Oregon’s fall ballot will include measure to help cannabis workers unionize

Oregon voters have one more decision to make in November: whether to give cannabis workers an easier path to joining a union.

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Oregon voters will soon decide on **Ballot Measure 119**, which aims to make it easier for cannabis workers to unionize.

If passed, the measure would require cannabis retailers and processors to sign “labor peace agreements” with unions as a condition for receiving a state license. Under these agreements, employers would have to remain neutral if their employees sought to unionize.

This measure is supported by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 (UFCW), which has already spent over $2.4 million on the campaign. UFCW argues that Oregon should follow the lead of other states like California and New York, which have adopted similar protections for cannabis workers.

However, business interests have raised concerns that the proposal could violate federal labor laws, potentially leading to lawsuits. Oregon Business & Industry, the state’s largest business lobbying group, opposed the measure when it was presented to legislators and remains cautious about its legal implications.

Measure 119 will join four other state measures on the November 2024 ballot. These include measures on impeachment powers for state officials, ranked-choice voting, and the controversial "Oregon rebate" tax proposal.