John Pletz
This story was republished with permission by Crain’s Chicago Business and written by John Pletz.
More than 100 unionized workers at five Illinois cannabis stores owned by PharmaCann have approved a deal that will give them 20% raises over three years.
The contracts, approved last week, affect workers at PharmaCann’s Verilife stores in Romeoville, Chicago, Rosemont, Arlington Heights and Ottawa. Teamsters Local 777 declined to say how much workers are currently making. But workers at some other dispensaries are paid hourly wages in the mid- to high-teens.
The Teamsters are in the midst of contract negotiations for workers at several Chicago-area dispensaries, including ones run by Cresco Labs and Green Thumb Industries.
The Teamsters are among those who have been aggressively organizing workers in the cannabis industry, including Illinois. The state is home to four of the industry’s largest companies, including PharmaCann, Cresco, Verano Holdings, and GTI.
