HANOVER — A national marijuana company with a medical dispensary in Hanover broke the law when three of its top executives tried to hamper unionization efforts at the local dispensary, authorities say.
Curaleaf violated labor laws when its employees began to successfully unionize its Hanover medical marijuana dispensary, Administrative Law Judge Ira Sandron said in a decision issued earlier this month.
According to Curaleaf’s website, the company, based in Wakefield, operates 101 dispensaries, 22 cultivation sites and 30 processing sites in 23 states. The company employs more than 4,000 people.
More:Read Judge Ira Sandron’s decision in the National Labor Relation Board case against Curaleaf
While the company broke the law, the punishment is simple, Sandron said. It can’t engage in union busting activities again and must post a legal notice for 60 days that says employees are legally allowed to form unions.
The Hanover employees first voted to unionize on April 9, 2020, the first location in the company to do so.
More:First Curaleaf marijuana store in Massachusetts unionizes, in Hanover
The unionization efforts began in the midst of the pandemic in March 2020. Employees filed for an election in April and voted in May and June, according to a post on the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 328 Union website.
Curaleaf challenged the ballots that were cast, and the National Labor Relation Board threw out six and counted four more ballots. Curaleaf appealed that decision and lost. The final vote was 8-3 in favor of the union, recorded a year later.
After the election, on Oct. 13, 2020, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union filed a complaint against Curaleaf with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that company officials interrogated employees, transferred one employee in retaliation for union support and fired another for supporting the union.
Sandron said in his decision that Massachusetts President Patrik Jonsson, now overseeing the Northeast region; CEO Joseph Lusardi, now the co-chairman of the board; and Human Resources Director Kerin Orlandi solicited complaints from two employees and implicitly promised them better benefits and working conditions if they didn’t support the union.
One employee was allegedly transferred to the corporate office in Norwell, three miles away in, retaliation for supporting the union and another was fired for supporting the union.
Regional Public Relations Director Stephanie Cunha said in a statement their employees are “best served dealing directly with our management team,” but that the company respects the collective voice of its workers.
“As always, we will continue to prioritize creating a positive, supportive and inclusive work environment for all Team Members and provide our patients and customers with the excellent service they expect and deserve from Curaleaf,” she said.
Union President Tim Melia did not respond to a request for comment.
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Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@patriotledger.com.