SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Have a Heart and the UFCW 21 today signed Washington state’s first collective bargaining agreement between the union and an adult-use cannabis retailer.

“This relationship is quite unusual, in a very positive sense,” said Todd Crosby, UFCW 21 President. “It’s rare for an employer and their employees to reach a first contract so quickly and one that is so promising for current and future employees. These partnerships strengthen individuals, families and communities – and lead to superior service for customers.”

Ryan Kunkel, CEO of Have a Heart, said his company is proud that its agreements with UFCW 21 emphasize equal pay and fair treatment in the workplace regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or cultural background.

“At Have a Heart, we believe in ‘doing good,’” Kunkel said. “We consistently strive to have a positive impact in the neighborhoods where we do business, and we see our partnership with UFCW 21 as part of our commitment to creating a safe and empowering workplace.”

Under this agreement, 134 current – and countless future – Have a Heart employees will receive above-average compensation for the industry, comprehensive health and welfare coverage and other benefits, including trainings, mentoring programs and staff-development opportunities. As a fast-growing part of Washington’s burgeoning cannabis industry, Have a Heart expects to generate even more family-wage jobs, along with other economic and health advantages.

Last year, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) found that more than 10,000 people were employed by legal cannabis businesses in 2016, and legal cannabis businesses paid almost $300 million in wages during the industry's first two and a half years.

About Have a Heart

Have a Heart was founded in Seattle in 2011. Its growing recreational and medical marijuana retail operation includes five stores in Washington and one in Hawaii, and it has plans to expand nationally.

About UFCW 21

UFCW 21 represents 46,000 workers across Washington in grocery stores, retail, health care, and other industries and is a chartered local in UFCW International that represents 1.3 million hard-working people throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. UFCW 21’s mission is building a powerful union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and in our communities.