In a 60 to 19 vote, the New Jersey Assembly today passed legislation that would expand labor protections for cannabis industry workers. The measure now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
(Photo credit: Martin B. Cherry / Nashville Banner).
Filed in April 2024 and sponsored by Assemblymembers Wayne DeAngelo (D) and Reginald Atkins (D), Assembly Bill 4182 is designed to ensure that cannabis employees receive labor rights comparable to those of other private-sector workers covered under federal and state law. Currently, many cannabis workers—especially those employed by licensed cultivators—lack these protections due to their exclusion from the National Labor Relations Act.
AB 4182 would authorize the New Jersey State Board of Mediation to regulate labor relations in the cannabis sector. This includes investigating unfair labor practices, overseeing unionization efforts, and enforcing collective bargaining rights.
Under the bill, cannabis businesses would be prohibited from interfering with union activities, discriminating against employees who assert their rights, or refusing to bargain in good faith. Labor unions, in turn, would be barred from coercing workers or disrupting the negotiation process. The legislation also requires cannabis companies to grant union representatives access to employees and workplace facilities.
Violations of the proposed law could lead to penalties, including reinstatement of terminated employees, back pay, and daily fines of up to $5,000 for noncompliance with information-sharing obligations.
Supporters say the bill is a necessary step toward leveling the playing field for workers in one of the state’s fastest-growing industries.
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