Sacramento, CA – The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council today applauded Governor Jerry Brown for signing AB 2799 (Jones-Sawyer), which requires licensed cannabis business have at least one employee and manager complete a 30-hour course from the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CalOSHA) to ensure compliance with job-related safety and health hazards. The following statement may be attributed to James Araby, Executive Director, United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council:
“California’s newly formed cannabis industry is creating thousands of new jobs and taking many formerly illegal businesses out of the shadows – which requires them to adhere to California’s workplace safety laws. In an industry where there are real and documented health risks for workers, workers and business owners alike must gain familiarity with their responsibilities and safe practices under CalOHSA.
“UFCW’s cannabis industry workers handle cannabis products, work with heavy machinery and are exposed to cannabis by-products and chemicals in laboratories where testing is done on a daily basis. Workers must know how to be safe and how to report violations. We applaud Governor Brown for joining our effort to save lives and prevent needless harm as this new industry emerges.”
Joining the United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council in support of AB 2799 were the California Labor Federation AFL-CIO, California Police Chiefs Association, California Teamsters Public Affairs Council, and the United Cannabis Business Association.
# # #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2018
CONTACT: Mike Roth, 916.444.7170