Workers' Rights in the Cannabis Space

Hosted by the CU Denver Department of Anthropology and Colorado’s UFCW Local 7

Join Colorado cannabis expert and advocate Marty Otañez for an engaging and participatory workshop, Workers' Rights in the Cannabis Space. Participants will learn about employment protections, worker health issues, and environmental sustainability practices in the cannabis sector, using labor and human rights-based approaches. Students will identify storytelling strategies and story-sharing methods to promote personal narratives about occupational health and safety concerns in cannabis workplaces.

Cannabis plant
Saturday, August 10, 2019, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Union Hall, UFCW Local 7 (7760 W 38th Ave #400, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033)
$99 price includes the cost of the course and course materials

 

Workshop Description

The full-day workshop is intended for people who want to learn about workers’ rights, health and safety issues and environmentally sustainable practices in the cannabis sector. Several years of legal medical and recreational cannabis show that worker-based research and education initiatives focused on occupational safety concerns and environmental sustainability practices are limited. Virtually all existing courses and trainings focus on employers and cost-effectiveness in the cannabis industry. The “Know Your Rights” course takes a pro-worker approach, making visible employees’ contribution at all segments of the cannabis supply chain and diverse ways to promote cannabis production using fair labor practices.

Guest speakers (subject to availability) include:

  • Belinda Thielen, UFCW Cannabis Health and Safety Expert
  • John Olaechea, OSHA Compliance Assistant Specialist
  • Bradley King, NIOSH Industrial Hygienist
  • Kati Scheibeler, Health and Environmental Safety Consultant
  • Lia Berman, Cannabis Labor Researcher

Presenter Biography

Marty Otañez earned his doctoral degree in cultural anthropology at the University of California, Irvine. He teaches the course ‘Cannabis Culture’ in the CU Denver Anthropology Department and 'Hemp Culture and the Dutch Bio-Based Economy' through the CU Denver Office of Global Education. Marty published the manuscripts “A Labor Studies Approach to Cannabis Research” and “Cannabis Industry Corporate Social Responsibility Schemes” in The Routledge Handbook of Interdisciplinary Cannabis Research (forthcoming). He is a board member with the Denver-based CORE Network focused on cannabis-related research and education, and producer of the public access television show through Denver Open Media called Getting High on Anthropology: A Story-Based Approach to Cannabis Research, Education and Funding.

Registration Information

The $99 price covers the cost of the course and course materials. 

This program is not offered for academic credit; however, a University of Colorado Denver Certificate of Completion on hemp-blended paper will be provided upon request for participants who attend the entire workshop. 

Enrollment has passed - thanks to everyone who attended!

Contact

For questions regarding the workshop, please contact:

Kristen Kang Salsbury
Program Manager, Continuing and Professional Education
Email: kristen.salsbury@ucdenver.edu
Phone: 303-315-7031

Refund Policy

We have a no refund policy except in extenuating circumstances. If you need to request a refund for any reason, please email kristen.salsbury@ucdenver.edu with a detailed description of your circumstances for consideration.