Illinois dispensary workers strike when it hurts the most

Pharmacy workers in Illinois are fed up with alleged low wages and unfair practices by a large pharmacy chain.

Members of Teamsters Local 777 members at three RISE dispensaries in Chicagoland, a subsidiary of Green Thumb Industries, quit at 4:20 pm CT on April 19 to start an indefinite strike against unfair labor practices (ULP). According to an April 19 press release, it is the largest strike of its kind in the state to date.

“RISE workers are extremely grateful for the support and kind words they have received from their colleagues across the country as well as from the Illinois cannabis community,” Matt McQuaid, a Teamster representative, told High Times in an e-mail. Mail. “We’re still on the picket line.”

Courtesy of Teamsters 777

Local 777 members say RISE pharmacies required workers at the Niles location to remove pro-union buttons while at work, in violation of the National Labor Relations Act. The Chicago Tribune reports that the Teamsters planned to go on strike just before the biggest pharmacy sales day. The strike comes as workers in several states are pushing for a higher minimum wage to cover the cost of living.

“The company’s requirement that workers remove their lapel pins is part of a broader pattern of disrespect for their workforce,” said Jim Glimco, President of Local 777. “GTI refuses to offer these men and women wages that match the cost of living , or to offer a retirement package acceptable to Teamsters. It is high time this company recognized the people responsible for all of its success.”

RISE opened 11 pharmacies across the state of Illinois, with a total of six in the Chicagoland area. WGN 9 reports that RISE Dispensaries’ parent company, Green Thumb Industries, plans to keep stores open despite the impact of the strike.

BREAKING: New video shows cannabis Teamster workers at RISE Dispensary in Joliet, IL walking out at 4:20pm yesterday to begin their strike against unfair labor practices.

Time for @GTIGrows to stop retaliating against workers and agree to a fair contract! #420 Strike pic.twitter.com/JIPOyWVUDY

— Teamsters Cannabis Workers (@Teamsters420) April 20, 2023

“These workers deserve successful middle-class careers and they are willing to fight for them,” said Peter Finn, international vice president and head of the Food Processing Division of Teamsters Western Region. “You don’t leave the job on your own. They are walking these pickets as a united front, with the support of more than 1.2 million Teamsters across North America.”

Several Illinois pharmacy workers also chimed in to show their support for better wages that would show their true worth.

“We are focused on creating a quality career here and we need a salary that reflects how valuable we are,” said Reilly Drew, Patient Care Specialist at RISE Niles Pharmacy. “People think that ascension is going up the ladder, but in this situation it’s about raising the whole floor for everyone. We want to make it a thriving industry because it’s a profitable industry.”

Courtesy of Teamsters 777

“The forcible removal of these buttons shows us how GTI feels about our movement and how little they care about us as workers,” said Julie Evans, patient care specialist at RISE Rock Creek Boulevard pharmacy in Joliet. “I feel it is extremely unfair, disrespectful and rude that Niles was forced to remove his badges when other shops did not. I stand in solidarity with my Teamstern colleagues against this unfair work practice.”

Workers described the risks they faced during a strike.

“I voted to strike in solidarity with my RISE employees over the causeless and uninformed removal of the union button intended to reduce representation in our stores,” said Brandon Basil, a patient care specialist at RISE’s Colorado pharmacy Street in Joliet. “We will fight for a fair contract that offers more to our incredibly hardworking brothers and sisters in the cannabis industry, including a living wage!”

Teamsters Local 777, founded in 1937, represents workers in a variety of industries in the Chicago area. Visit their website for more information.