Marjyn Investments' Workers Signed with Teamsters

[HighWaterMark]

A milestone was reached in the medical marijuana industry as Marjyn Investments LLC signed with Teamsters Local 70.

A bellwether sign of maturity, this Teamsters Union affiliation gives the medical marijuana industry power and clout. Teamsters will fight to put more grassroots initiatives on state ballots around the country because it is in the Teamsters best interest to do so. They will teach the masses of young people how to collect valid signatures so that signature lists aren't bounced by states' AGs.

Teamsters have 110 years of infrastructure behind them. One hundred and ten years of power and political muscle. Trimmers, growers, cloners and harvesters ratified their first contract with Teamsters Local 70 yesterday.

Politically, this is an important moment, as important as they come. What do y'all think?

 

[HighWaterMark]

I'm bumping myself because this may be the most important business story in our embryonic industry. Check it out:

Marijuana workers in Oakland join Teamsters - San Francisco Business Times

 

[MedicalNeed]

A similar story was posted here
Workers at California Medical Marijuana Company Join Teamsters
The day it hit the press.

 

[Monty Floyd]

As a former Teamster (as well as several other unions), I would suggest to these workers to not renew their contract with the Teamsters and steer clear of the labor unions.

 

[HighWaterMark]

Most respondents object to interference by organized labor. How can this neophyte enterprise be saved from the pit of monopolization without a n equitable playing field. Don't tell me competition. History has taught me that free competition in young industries leads to one winner and multiple losers after which everyone looses.

Capitalism is great in small doses but monopolies never work. What's the argument against organized labor?

 

[Monty Floyd]

History has taught me that free competition in young industries leads to one winner and multiple losers after which everyone looses.

History has taught me that labor unions are nothing more than a bunch of extortionist thugs, who take my dues every month and will stab me in the back if it profits them.

I respectfully disagree with your views and I know you don't agree with mine... and that's OK, that's what America is supposed to be about.

Good talking to you.
MF

 

[HighWaterMark]

I do respect your opinion and I appreciate it. That's no BS.

Do you feel the same way given that the industry is so young and ripe for monopolization? Do you think it needs some protections or do you believe that capitalism will shake out a good system in the end?

 

[Monty Floyd]

I do respect your opinion and I appreciate it. That's no BS.

Thank you. I agree.
I am a free market capitalist and I suspect you are mistaking capitalism with corporatism.

 

[HighWaterMark]

Maine recently granted five of their eight permits to "Berkeley Patients Group" of California. Without a local union how can a state keep new business within its own state?

 

[WMDmountainIG]

I do not agree with unionized labor in general but I have my exceptions and with the issue of the growers organizing with the teamsters I would have to say that it is a wise move. The unions do have power and clout and that is what the medical growers need right now. Without having someone stand up for their rights as workers the people are going to lose the movement to a few wealthy people who are in the position to monopolize the business right now. Without something in place to prevent this then we will all be buying from just a few mega growing sites in the future, much like the super retail stores have put the small mom and pop businesses out of business and monopolized the retail market. I won't mention the names of any of these super stores but they are in the practice of moving into an area and using a small retail T.V. business as an example, the super stores will undercut the prices of the small store even though they are selling the "specials" at below cost, the super stores can afford to do this and in doing it they force the small retailer out of business and once they do the retail prices of the same product they had on "special" shoots right up to usually slightly more than the suggested retail price and those "specials" are never seen again. I for one do not think it is in the best interest for this new business to be taken over by a few multimillion dollar corporations who in turn would control every aspect of the market...

 

[HighWaterMark]

Well, I obviously agree with you. Berkeley Patients Group is already laying the brickwork for such monopolization.

My fear is that the money produced in a given state will leave that state never to be seen again. That will leave a bad taste in every state voter's mouth.

 

[WMDmountainIG]

Well, I obviously agree with you. Berkeley Patients Group is already laying the brickwork for such monopolization.

My fear is that the money produced in a given state will leave that state never to be seen again. That will leave a bad taste in every state voter's mouth.

Yes we are definitely on the same page, tremendous leaps are being made in the movement right now with California leading the way , but I do not think anyone has seriously sat down and thought about who is going to control the infrastructure of this new industry. Legalization is within sight, the major media is already softening up the public with their propaganda campaigns, just a way to get the average citizen to not be completely shocked when the inevitable legalization finally happens. I can not count the number of times that MSNBC has aired the special "Marijuana Inc.". People may not realize it but the government uses mainstream media for it's propaganda campaigns and when you start seeing things like this over and over again on prime time T.V. then it is just a premonition of things to come. I couldn't agree with you more about the money leaving the states to never be seen again and if serious thought is not put into this then yes the voters are going to be left with a bad taste in their mouths. Just look at major tobacco and oil companies, all of the money is held by just a few corporate giants and I am afraid the same is about to happen with the marijuana industry......

 

[MedicalNeed]

The money leaving a state to another is FAR better than leaving the country to Mexico or another country where the Brick is grown. JMHO

But overall

 

[WMDmountainIG]

The money leaving a state to another is FAR better than leaving the country to Mexico or another country where the Brick is grown. JMHO

But overall

Very true, keeping the money in this country is essential. For one it would put a huge dent in organized crime because the cartels would lose one of their number one money makers. Your opinion is a very good one but the truth is still a fact that the monopolization of the market needs to be stopped before it is created. If the voters in a state take the time and the effort to make changes in a law that benefits them then it is only right that the taxes derived from this new and lucrative business deserves to stay in and benefit their state. Money from taxes is used for education, development and maintenance of a states infrastructure plus a host of other very important issues. Therefore it is only right that those taxes benefit the people that voted for the very thing that is producing the taxes. An example would be the taxes from the state of Maine ending up in the pockets of the people of California. You are correct that it is better than the money ending up in Mexico but you are missing the whole point of the problem. The number one issue is that the people with years of experience producing this product are going to lose out simply because their pockets are not deep enough to compete with the few that have the funding already in place to create the monopoly. I am all for free enterprise but the fact is that the amount of money the states are requiring people to put up to become the producers is going to leave a lot of people out of the loop and these are the very people that have worked and lobbied for years to get these bills passed...

 

[HighWaterMark]

And that is not a hypothetical.

65% of the revenue generated from legal dispensaries in Maine is ending up in California, The Berkeley Patients' Group to be specific.

Please read this article. This is a political mess for Maine and a PR problem for the rest of us. Oh, MedicalNeed, thanks for contributing.