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OAKLAND, Calif. – Cannabis workers across California have set a new benchmark for their industry after overwhelmingly voting in favor of unionizing.

Nearly 500 workers at STIIIZY, a cannabis dispensary business with locations in Southern California and the Bay Area, voted to ratify a three-year contract that guarantees higher wages, expanded paid sick leave, guaranteed health insurance for part-time employees and created a fairer attendance policy.

“This contract shows that STIIIZY is a company worth working for — it makes the job more enjoyable with better wages,” Andy Lallu, a floor leader at a STIIIZY location in Los Angeles said in a press release announcing the vote. “I love my job because I can leave work at work — no stress carrying it home. And being part of the first bargaining team was an amazing experience. It’s awesome that we were able to reach a fair agreement without having to get into a lengthy labor dispute.”

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STIIIZY’s workers, who were represented by six United Food and Commercial Workers local unions, won starting hourly wages of $19.50 in Southern California and $20.50 in the Bay Area, which is the highest in the cannabis unionized sector. They also secured 64 hours of annual paid sick leave — up from 56 — in Southern California and a more equitable attendance system, designed to reduce turnover and maintain service quality.

The contract also guarantees health insurance for part-time employees, who qualify for coverage if they work 20 hours per week, and strengthens job security by guaranteeing a minimum number of hours.

Finally, the contract created a formal partnership between the union and the company, which will advocate for stable industry regulations across the state.