Workers at Three Illinois Rise Dispensaries Ratify Contract

Workers at three Rise dispensaries in Illinois have ratified their first collective bargaining agreement. Rise is a subsidiary of multi-state operator Green Thumb Industries (GTI), and the contract covers workers at two locations in Joliet and one in Niles.

The agreement marks the end of what the Teamsters Local 777 described as a “protracted fight” with GTI that included a 13-day work stoppage that ended in May. Jim Glimco, Local 777 president, said the “fight should be a lesson to cannabis companies all across the country and not just Illinois – Teamsters don’t back down.”

“A lot of people who went through what these men and women went through would’ve thrown in the towel. Not this group. They’re young, energetic, tough, smart; they look out for one another, and they embody what being a part of this union is all about.” — Glimco in a press release

The agreement includes wage increases of 18% over the lifetime of the agreement, attendance bonuses, a scheduling policy based on seniority, guaranteed tips and discounts, improved safety standards, and protection against unjust termination or discipline.

Reilly Drew, a Rise worker who served on the bargaining committee, described the agreement as “historic.”

“We started as a small but united group of workers,” Drew said in a statement. “Over the last year and a half, we have grown to be a strong union, changed our workplace for the better, and forged a bright path forward for workers in our industry.”

The 13-day strike was the longest at a cannabis retailer in history.