Workers Vote Overwhelmingly in Favor of Unionization

(NILES, Ill.) – With over 90 percent voting in favor of representation, workers at the Rise Dispensary of Niles, Illinois have voted to join Teamsters Local 777. The dispensary is the first property owned by Green Thumb Industries (GTI) – one of the largest cannabis companies in the United States – to affiliate with the Teamsters.

“This victory is the first of many to come at GTI,” said Jim Glimco, Local 777 President. “We are 100 percent committed to making sure these workers get the wages, benefits and job protections associated with a Teamster contract. We’re going to turn cannabis into a field with attractive, sustainable careers for everyone in the industry.”

Reilly Drew and Tim Burns both work at the Rise location and served on the organizing committee during the campaign.

“We are standing together to demand respect, integrity and equity,” said Drew. “We’re building careers that reward the hard work cannabis workers have put in as the foundation of this rapidly growing and prosperous industry.”

“We love our jobs and want to make a decent living,” said Burns. “We want to have our voices heard and see the cannabis industry in better alignment with our values – rooted in equity and wellness.”

Founded in 1937, Teamsters Local 777 represents workers in a wide variety of industries throughout the Chicago area. For more information, go to https://www.teamsters777.org/.

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