Call on Vancouver City Council to adopt a safe staffing bylaw for cannabis retailers: scheduling a minimum of two staff whenever the business is open to the public.
Budtenders in Vancouver currently have no minimum staffing requirement, leading to many working on the floor alone. Working alone should not be the standard. We have heard too many stories of budtenders being unable to take their breaks, or even being harassed and robbed due to a lack of in-store support.
A safe staffing bylaw would help address health and safety concerns, reduce the risk of hostile or dangerous customer interactions such as theft, and guarantee efficient running of the store. The City of Victoria has already recognized this need and passed a similar safe staffing bylaw in 2019. In 2022 a UFCW 1518 campaign helped ensure this law is still in place today.