The Jersey City Council pushed the renewal of The Cannabis Place (TCP) dispensary due to labor issues, while others were approved along with a new cultivator and manufacturer.

TCP recently sued the UFCW and the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC) for mandating that they have a Labor Peace Agreement (LPA) after they previously worked close together.

Anti-Labor Stances of The Cannabis Place Dispensary

During the public comment period of the meeting, UFCW Local 360 labor union Organizing Director Hugh Giordano denounced The Cannabis Place dispensary and CEO Osbert Orduna for betraying them.

“He used the labor movement to get his licensing,” he declared. “…He used the labor movement for folks like me to come to the Jersey City Council meeting.”

“We had to come to the (Jersey City) Cannabis Board,” Giordano added.

“He filed to stop the unionization attempt at his facility,” he noted to a boo.

“He’s supposed to bargain in good faith,” Giordano noted. “…When we had bargaining sessions, he proposed nothing back.”

“I appreciate the fact that he served our country. But you can’t hide behind equity status…,” he declared.

“He’s not hurting the UFCW, he’s hurting the workers…,” Giordano argued. “Jersey City deserves to have good jobs in the cannabis industry.”

“Make it a conditional approval, and let’s see if he comes to the bargaining table,” he added.

Jersey City Council Questions The Cannabis Place Dispensary Renewal

“Did you do any comments to anyone at the city or to the Cannabis Control Board (CCB)?” Zuppa asked.

“As of yet, no,” Giordano replied.

“Can we get his information offline?” City Council President Denise Ridley asked.

“Is this time-sensitive for us to vote on this tonight?…” Ward E Councilwoman Elena Little asked. “After hearing these allegations, I’d like to review some documentation…”

“Can you let me check the renewal date and get back to you?” Corporation Counsel Sarah M. Levine asked.

She said she could check before the vote.

“Yeah, the Council wants to know,” Ridley said.

“10.44 (The Cannabis Place do we have an answer?” At-Large Councilman Michael Griffin asked when the vote was called.

“If we are concerned… we can withdraw and answer any question you might have and bring it back at another time,” Business Administrator Ruby Choi said.

“I would like to make a motion,” Griffin said.

“Is the Administration going to withdraw 10.44? or do you want them to do it?” City Clerk Sean Gallagher asked.

“…We will withdraw,” Choi said.

The CCB had approved The Cannabis Place’s renewal in August 2026, when no one was there to oppose them.

Jersey City Approves New Manufacturer and Renewals

In other cannabis news, Grass House Company, LLC was approved to operate Manufacturing, Wholesale, and Distribution unanimously, 9-0.

Local license renewal for the dispensaries Garden Greenz, Hazy Harvest dispensary, Lifted Vision, Memes Danckk World, and Green Flamingo were approved 8-0-1 in separate votes, with At-Large Councilwoman Mamta Singh abstaining in each due to saturation concerns.

Glue Lagoon Support Pulled

A resolution rescinding local support for Glue Lagoon Farms, to cultivate, was approved unanimously 9-0. However, because it was worded poorly and they thought support was continuing, the vote was redone and was 9-0 again.

Assistant Corporation Counsel Lisa Scorsolini noted Glue Lagoon lost local support due to lease issues.

New Cultivator Green Sky Grow Approved

Then a resolution supporting Green Sky Grow LLC to operate a micro cannabis cultivation business was considered.

“If there are dispensary owners watching, I’ve had some of you come to me about the smoke shop situation,” Ward B Councilman Joel Brooks noted.

He said 5 smoke shops that had violations were still operating.

“Hearing from some of my constituents, there may still be some smoke shops operating and illegally selling um, ya know, marijuana or other drugs…,” Brooks added. “We need to crack down on that so the dispensaries can flourish.”

“I don’t know we’ve seen the revenue growth that we were promised when cannabis was legalized for reasons Councilman Brooks referenced,” Zuppa noted.

He noted they’re partnering with the Police Athletic League (PAL).

Ward D Councilman Jake Ephros also noted the smoke shop issue is hurting dispensaries that jump through many hoops.

“Administration, I encourage you to look into this and provide enforcement,” he said.

“I vote aye. I’ve not heard any community concerns,” Little said. “Enforcement could be another revenue source for the city.”

“I vote aye for this because this is a cultivator, not a dispensary,” Singh said.

“I do agree the market is saturated. But this is a cultivator, not a dispensary,” At-Large Councilman Rolando Lavarro said.

The Jersey City Council approved them unanimously, 9-0.