'We Don't Plan On Stopping!' Teamsters' New Cannabis Contract In Illinois Raises Bar For Big Industry Players

Workers at five Sunnyside Dispensaries — a subsidiary of multi-state cannabis operator Cresco Labs Inc. CL CRLBF 6CQ — have reached tentative agreements for first union contracts with Teamsters Local 777.

Why It Matters

The contracts at the Illinois dispensaries in Elmwood Park, South Beloit, Schaumburg, Rockford and Buffalo Grove, contain significant improvements, including:

An end to at-will employment and the right to representation during disciplinary matters scheduling based on seniority, a successorship clause if the dispensary is sold, paid meal and rest breaks, paid time off, paid holidays and 15% wage increases over the agreement's lifetime.

"The Teamsters are protecting and raising standards for workers in the cannabis industry," Jim Glimco, Local 777 president said. "I attribute this incredible success to the dedication, bravery and brilliance of the workers in this craft."

What's Next

Ratification votes will be completed for all five locations by the end of next week.

"At this rate, it won't be long before nearly every cannabis retailer throughout Illinois is covered under a Teamsters contract, and we don't plan on stopping there," said Peter Finn, Teamsters Western region international vice president and director of the Teamsters Food Processing Division.

Utah MMJ Dispensary Workers Follow Suit

Meanwhile, thirty employees of Dragonfly Wellness, a medical marijuana dispensary in Salt Lake City, voted on Tuesday to join the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).

According to the Phoenix-based UFCW Local 99, "employees included in the newly formed cannabis union include Dragonfly Wellness associates, team leads, drivers, delivery leads, inventory specialists, pharmacists, and head trainers."

Prior Efforts

Glimco said that the number of cannabis collective bargaining agreements has reached 15.

"Two years ago, we didn't have any cannabis workers under a collective bargaining agreement," he said. "Including these agreements, we have more than 15 contracts throughout the industry."

The news comes on the heels of a peaceful rally organized by UFCW Local 99, a private-sector union, advocated for the rights of the striking workers at Curaleaf Holdings Inc.'s CURLF cannabis dispensary in Midtown, Phoenix, Arizona.

Meanwhile, the 13-day unfair labor practice strike led by a Teamsters branch in May at two Illinois Rise Cannabis dispensaries in Joliet and Niles, which forced parent company Green Thumb Industries Inc. GTBIF to raise wages by 50%, resulted in ratification of the first collective bargaining agreements between Rise and members of Teamsters Local 777 at three dispensaries earlier this month.

Photo: Benzinga edit of images by Matthew Brodeur and krakenimages on Unsplash