Job security seems to be on the minds of many who work in Humboldt’s underground cannabis industry. Big changes have been shaking up business in the Golden State and it hits home particularly hard in Humboldt, where working in the cannabis labor force is a way of life for many. People are afraid that living wage jobs are going to be the first casualty of the revolution. Farmer-turned-activist Brian Shields believes unionizing workers may be the key to protecting a decades-old way of life in Humboldt and could even improve it. Shields is the founder of the Humboldt Medical Cannabis Union (HMCU), a group he says is aimed at using the traditional union model to protect living wage jobs in the Emerald Triangle’s cannabis industry. HMCU plans to unify farmers, laborers and processors for the benefit of all. Shields believes that many small farmers want to continue offering a living wage and would benefit from a united workforce. The main benefit for farmers: access to a consistent, committed and trained labor force to improve efficiency and security. Laborers, processors and providers would benefit from collective bargaining power, job security and a living wage. Shields says the union would also work ...
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