Walker Davidson: Sweet Flower Budtender Joins UFCW 770 Executive Board!
News| April 05, 2025
My name is Walker Davidson, and I’ve been working in the cannabis industry just after graduating from high school. When I first joined, I was drawn in by the realization that my grandfather had been a grower since the 1960s. As I learned more, I fell in love with the industry—not just the plant, but the service it provides and the real medical benefits it offers people. I wanted a job where I could help others, and I knew this was the right place and time for me. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of helping hundreds of people, and I look forward to helping many more.
I’ve been a lead and a manager before, but I chose to return to budtending because, at the end of the day, I care more about helping people than the financial side of the business. Being on the floor, talking with customers, and making real connections—that’s what matters to me.
I was hired at a dispensary right as an organizing effort at SweetFlower was underway, but things had stalled. Most of my coworkers didn’t know about the union or what was at stake. When I learned about UFCW 770, I started explaining the importance of unions, and the more I studied, the more I saw how much we needed one. This wasn’t just about better pay—it was about respect, stability, and a real say in our workplace. The union was actually looking out for us, and I saw firsthand how much they cared about my well-being and the well-being of my coworkers.
When the company refused to negotiate after card check, I stepped up as a rank-and-file organizer. The only way to get them to the table was to show our strength. So, we started a petition, and I worked to get every single worker to sign. We reached 100%. That’s what solidarity looks like.
But one moment really solidified for me why unions matter. A friend and coworker of mine passed away at just 21 years old. Our team came together to support each other, but the company? HR refused to grant bereavement leave and wouldn’t even help provide the information his family needed. It was a slap in the face. No worker should have to fight for basic human decency. That’s why we need a union—to hold companies accountable when they fail us.
Through our union, I’ve also learned how companies take advantage of workers—whether it’s through wage theft, lack of benefits, or simply not paying us what we’re worth. The only way to change that is by organizing. The cannabis industry is still new, and if we don’t fight now, corporations will shape it in a way that benefits them—not the workers who built it.
The first step toward real change is coming together as workers. This solidarity doesn’t stop with cannabis—it extends to all industries, workers, and beyond. We have to strengthen our movement at the local and state levels to create real power.
I want to be the voice for cannabis workers on the UFCW executive board and represent the labor movement to the best of my ability. The progress we’ve made in other industries like grocery and retail drug can serve as a foundation for stronger cannabis contracts. But to make that happen, we need to commit to showing up. I know it’s hard when so many of us work two or three jobs, but that’s exactly why we need to fight. We need to make time for each other, to support new organizers, and to show members that their involvement directly improves their lives—whether that means making sure people have food at meetings or simply giving them the time they need to participate.
If you’re given the tools to fix a broken system—not just for yourself, but for everyone around you—why wouldn’t you use them? We all have the same frustrations: we don’t feel valued, we aren’t paid enough, and we’re expected to work multiple jobs just to get by. Organizing provides real solutions.
But UFCW can’t just be there when we’re bargaining for a contract. Once we win, we have to keep fighting to ensure a real work-life balance—because that’s what makes union membership truly worthwhile.
If you would like to join Walker and be more involved in the Labor Movement at UFCW 770, reach out to Union Representative Reggie Edwards at reggie.edwards@ufcw770.org.
