(This story and headline have been up to date to replicate that the employees started their strike.)
Greater than 100 staff at three Chicago-area adult-use hashish owned by multistate operator Inexperienced Thumb Industries (GTI) went on strike at 4:20 p.m. CT Wednesday, a day earlier than the business’s 4/20 celebration.
The labor motion on the Rise dispensaries is believed to be the primary time in Illinois that three shops beneath the identical company umbrella have gone on strike concurrently, in keeping with a information launch from Teamsters Native 777, which organized the three stores and 14 others within the space.
It’s not clear how lengthy the work stoppage may final or whether or not it’ll have an effect on 4/20, thought-about to be one of many busiest gross sales days of the 12 months.
In an announcement to the Chicago Tribune, GTI stated it has “made lodging to proceed our retailer operations to make sure our sufferers and clients can entry the merchandise they depend on for his or her well-being.”
The strike is “open-ended,” the Tribune reported.
The three Rise dispensaries embody two in Joliet and one other in Niles.
Employees at one of many Joliet shops voted to unionize final summer time however have but to safe a contract.
GTI and its staff stay “far aside on wages and retirement” negotiations, Teamsters spokesperson Matt McQuaid informed the Tribune.
The corporate’s wage supply is “lower than what our members beneath contract already obtain,” McQuaid informed MJBizDaily.
The strike follows an unfair labor practices criticism filed after administration informed staff to take away their Teamster buttons whereas negotiating, McQuaid added.
Rise is a subsidiary of Chicago-headquartered Inexperienced Thumb Industries, one of many nation’s largest multistate operators.
