Employees at Fungi Perfecti, LLC, Founded by Paul Stamets of 'Fantastic Fungi' Fame, Vote Against Unionization

The employees of mushroom supplement company Fungi Perfecti, LLC, founded by Paul Stamets, the world-famous mycologist known for the Netflix documentary Fantastic Fungi, have voted against unionization. Fungi Perfecti employees recently exercised their democratic rights to vote on representation by a construction union, ultimately voting against unionizing under Laborers Local 252 by a vote of 42–16. The vote was held on June 18 and certified by the National Labor Relations Board on June 27.

Along with appearing as himself in “Fantastic Fungi,” Stamets’ famed expertise in all things mushroom led to a character in Star Trek: Discovery being named after him. Lt. Cmdr. Paul Stamets, played by Anthony Rapp, is the astromycologist who keeps the Discovery’s spore drive running, using mycelium, a web of fungus that stretches across space, to travel large distances.He is also the author of seven books and was inducted into the Explorers Club in 2020.

Stamets, who founded Fungi Perfecti in 1980 in Olympia, Wash., expressed gratitude and called for unity among workers.

“I want to thank everyone for exercising their democratic right to vote,” Stamets said in a note to employees. “Through this process, we think we can be stronger, better and more sensitive to the many diverse points of view. We — management — have learned many lessons, the foremost of which is better communication. For those voting in favor of unionization, please be assured that we hear you.”

Stamets, who was a member of a woodworkers' union in the 1970s, emphasized that he and Fungi Perfecti leadership “stand strongly in support of employee’s rights to vote on a union, and think the better informed they are, the better the outcome for all.”

Ahead of the vote, the company noted that its benefits package was stronger than what the union was offering employees, including "lower out-of-pocket costs, no monthly premiums after two years of service, better paid family, medical and sick leave, and more vacation days, among other advantages.”

The company also noted that for healthcare benefits, its maximum out-of-pocket costs for major incidents such as cancer and heart attack “are $22,000 and less, while the union’s maximum for employee out-of-pocket costs is significantly higher — in the hundreds of thousands, and in some cases, unlimited.”