John Schroyer
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters claimed another victory over Chicago-based multistate operator Green Thumb Industries (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF) this week when the labor union ratified an employment contract for workers at three cannabis dispensaries in Illinois.
Teamsters Local 777 announced the deal on Tuesday in a press release, and said employees at Rise-branded dispensaries in Joliet and Niles – which are owned by GTI – have voted in favor of a contract negotiated by the Teamsters.
The contract codifies 18% lifetime wage increases for Teamster members, attendance bonuses, seniority-based scheduling policies, guaranteed tips and discounts, new safety standards, and protection against termination without cause.
The news follows a nearly two-week strike earlier this year, which the Teamsters claimed was the longest strike at a U.S. marijuana business in modern history, as well as a string of unfair labor practice complaints the union filed with federal regulators.
“This fight should be a lesson to cannabis companies all across the country and not just Illinois – Teamsters don’t back down,” Local 777 President Jim Glimco said in a release.
A GTI spokesperson wrote in an email to Green Market Report that the new collective bargaining agreement “aligns with the equitable work environment and total rewards package we offer all our team members.”
“There were no significant changes to our existing employee benefits plan, which continues to be a benchmark for the cannabis industry,” the GTI spokesperson wrote. “As a company, we work together toward a single goal: to build an engaged, high-performing team supported by a positive work environment while maintaining financial stability to ensure we are positioned to serve our patients, customers, and team members well into the future.”
The Teamsters – as well as the United Food and Commercial Workers union – have been on a recruiting spree for years in the burgeoning U.S. marijuana industry, often aided by state requirements that cannabis businesses enter into labor peace agreements that make it easier for unions to organize workers.
