Cannabis Industry Mandates to Stay Union-Neutral Come Up Short

As more states legalize marijuana, unions are crying foul over loopholes and a lack of enforcement that have kept state-backed labor peace deals from delivering the promised boon of organizing the industry.

Out of the 25 states that have made recreational marijuana distribution legal, eight have laws that either require or incentivize employers to sign labor peace agreements. Several other states, including Oregon and Massachusetts, are considering such measures either in legislation or ballot initiatives.

Only a few states with LPAs in place, including California and New Jersey, have issued penalties against employers for violating it—like when companies made deals ...