I think people need to rally and create cannabis union.
3 Likes
There are a few companies in Massachusetts that have unionized and the spot Iâm at is working on it. Unionization can lead to regulation changes.
Allowing more than an ounce sale a day for recreational could help boost sales as well as maybe getting the price of extracts down. I think it shouldnât be allowed to sell ounces for 400$ an ounce there should be caps somewhere along the line.
Massachusetts:
marijuana retailers sold a record $158.7 million worth of legal cannabis products in December, according to figures released by the stateâs Cannabis Control Commissionâbringing the stateâs total recorded sales for 2023 to nearly $1.8 billion.Jan 23, 2024 - Google
or at least make it so that Saturdays and Sundays the people working get a competitive pay with commission or something.
like 28$/hr with 200$ extra with every 2,000$ in sales you make on Saturdays and Sundays.
for every 2 ounces of trim you trimmed you get 180$ extra on weekends with 28$/hr and like with every two ounces of rosin youâre starting to cold cure you get 200$ extra with 28$/hr
that would be siâiIck
1 Like
Like how cobol programmers were paid by the line.
1 Like
I would love to see changes like that in the system but unfortunately i think the investors and corporations that made these laws have a stranglehold on the politicians in mass. The now suspended chairperson of the ccc was appointed by the treasurer to help get rid of some of this crony stuff and corruption, but got suspended for doing too much of just that⌠from the top down the entire thing is a scam. I was deadset on getting into the industry 5 years ago. After hearing horror stories of microbuissness owners and the way theyve structured the laws, the entire thing is a money grab by multi-millionaires. Even the absolute top level product (100-120 gram of rosin) in the state is like mid to higher tier in other states legal markets. Mass isnt the worst but its got one of the hardest squeezes our of any of them.
1 Like
I support stuff like the bill in maine to change its status to a food product and id like to see the industry move more towards processing, manufacturing, prioritizing education and research. Personally thats what i like doing and i used to get alot of my online presences deleted or banned for educational stuff, probably too many keywords. The people who regulate the commodity dont even smoke it⌠its insane to have people that wouldve and have been biased against cannabis in the past in regulatory positions for a salary paid by taxpayers and weed sales. I would push for something way past a union and much more like a collective lobby of people for regulatory reform. But i also like my private life very much.
1 Like
Multi-millionaires should know the business and their peopleâs worth.
Investing only because itâs lucrative isnât investing wisely.
2 Likes
I think until it becomes a problem to fill the positions, the pay will stay the same maybe even lower depending how in demand the cool extraction and dispensary positions are. Do you know how cool it is at the bar to say you are the manager of the new hip 100 million dollar dispensary?
People will do the job for 17 an hour so that is what is paid. If you offered brain surgeons 17 an hour the position would never be filled and youd have to offer more (17000 an hour). But since mostly anyone can do these jobs, and will do em cheap, that is where the wage will stay.
The profit of the company doesnt apply to these jobs its an at will employment and a free market.
Someone tried to custy me on vape carts like 6? years ago they were 18$ea for 100 and 18$ea for 1,000. They had control on the market so they could get that on bulk. I bought the 1000 and immediately started my own vape company, by the time my customers asked for more vapes I said I had better ones and gave them my own. I built my market with the custy priced wholesale ones then phased them out with my own brand. Went from making 2$ a cart to about 10$ a cart
If you are unhappy with the current situation then creating something of your own and doing what you love might be the better option. And if that is not possible you cant be angry at the world and the situation that is. Take it into your own hands and create, do what you love and live your passion yourself, because no corporation, boss or distributor is ever going to give a fuck about you.
12 Likes
Relevant, just superimpose my avatar over Sylvesterâs head
4 Likes
Couldnt have said it better myself. Create your own avenue and do it correctly. Until we can beat out the billions of dollars behind all the investors, nationally and even fuckin internationally⌠theres not much else to do. Educate people along the way. Be moral and create a healthy environment and products, thats an angle that the stores dont have.
1 Like
Well id call it wise investments, one place I read an article on was grossing 30 million in a year so⌠if you lose money on your investment at that point its on you, when the store makes like 90k a day somehow?
NOT MA, but
25$ an hour plus a bonus pool that extractors split based on production.
I make a percentage of production managing and running facility and my #2 makes base Salary plus $10 per ki.
My guys are the only ones running systems or have knowledge. Not a formal union but itâs leverage in negotiation nonetheless.
With bonuses they make around 100k yearly
4 Likes
These cannabis workers are worth way more than what theyâre getting paid typically and I think open discussion about income is good.
4 Likes
Or casino, another replace they piss away money. Accept the person dealing cards makes money off their earnings. So the only person you really wanna be is the person thatâs working at establishments where millionaires piss away money and give ridiculous tips.
Thank you. 
Youâre right. I appreciate that.
2 Likes
To add to this, a fucked convo I overheard in an elevator at mjbiz
Guy 1: âoh yeah sheâs doing really well, best employee, we bumped her up to 17.50, highest paid person on siteâ
Guy 2: âoh wowâ
Guy 1: âwell I mean minimum in [state name] is only 15, so sheâs doing goodâ
These were owners.
Me and my partner just side eye each other and had a lot to say afterwards.
We try to run a tight ship. Our thought is âif you pay peanuts, you get monkeysâ
11 Likes
I understand what youâre saying with regard to entry level positions - there is a large pool of candidates, and the skills required are limited.
But I get the sense that the salary is also lower for higher level positions as well. I would think the âcool factorâ matters a whole lot less to them. I work as a PM and engineer in food manufacturing, and if I were to jump to the cannabis industry Iâd be looking at around a 20% decrease in salary (at least based on a cursory look at listings).
Not to mention, the cool factor is replaced by the unsavory factor. Meaning to some hiring managers, having worked in the cannabis industry can be seen as a black mark - especially in certain industries.
And finally, the stories of nepotism and poor management make me concerned that the upward mobility that is available in other industries wouldnât be present in the Cannabis industry in MA.
Iâd love to be shown Iâm wrong, this is just my impression from the sidelines.
5 Likes
Moral of the story no one ever gets what Theyâre worth. Theyâll get what they can negotiate.
3 Likes
Started at $25/hr as an extraction tech, Now at $70k salary as Lab Manager
2 Likes