STIIIZY is offering MJ manufacturing jobs to 400 laid-off Burger King workers in Michigan

STIIIZY, a well-known cannabis brand best known for its vaporizers, has offered to hire laid-off Burger King workers after a franchise owner closed 26 locations last week, mostly in the Detroit area. A total of more than 400 workers have been laid off as a result of the closures. Based in California, STIIIZY has three retail locations and a manufacturing facility in Michigan.

The cannabis company announced the move Monday on Twitter: “We recently offered over 400 jobs for Burger King employees who were laid off due to closures in/around Detroit!” STIIIZY’s Twitter account also has a link and screenshot to an Instagram post by Crime News Detroit that provided more details.

Prior to the social media announcement, STIIIZY Managing Partner Ryan Jundt also appeared on WWJ 950 News Radio on April 22 to address the company’s decision.

“Last night I actually read the Detroit News article about more than 400 people who lost their jobs at Burger King,” Jundt told host Mike Campbell. “And at the same time, if there’s a depressing message, we wanted to deliver a message of hope.”

The workers were offered jobs at the STIIIZY manufacturing facility in Orion Township, where the company makes a variety of cannabis products, including its line of pod vapes, infused blunts and pre-rolls. Jundt mentioned that positions in the manufacturing department have skills very similar to fast-food work.

“So they would roll blunts and joints and fill vape cartridges,” Jundt said. “So you would go from burgers to blunts and joints.”

According to Jundt, the company is offering to “fill just over 200 positions promptly”. In the “next three to four months”, according to Jundt, STIIIZY could also hire the remaining 200+ former Burger King employees if there was sufficient interest. Employees would be able to choose between part-time and full-time work.

“It’s a great work environment, full-time job. You get benefits after 90 days and people seem to enjoy it,” Jundt said.

The new jobs start at $16 an hour for the day shift and $16.50 for the night shift, plus benefits that are above Burger King’s average salary for non-executive positions. Campbell mentioned that the sentence was a “good start” but still a challenge for employees to make a living from.

Jundt responded, estimating that about 80-90% of the company’s management team started in entry-level positions.

“We’re going crazy,” Jundt said. “Here in Michigan, we’ve actually only been able to get about half of our product lines to market. So we need many, many jobs. And if there are more jobs, we need more managers. So as long as you are willing to work hard and are passionate about what you do, you can rise very quickly in this company.”

The closures were due to “unforeseen business circumstances” and a failure to reach an agreement with Burger King Corp, according to Texas-based Burger King franchisee EYM King of Michigan, the Detroit Free Press report.

In the letter, EYM King of Michigan said the 26 locations would be closed beginning March 17 and completed by April 15. Burger King Corp. also alleges “violations of written agreements” in a lawsuit filed against Eduardo E. Diaz, EYM King of Michigan, LLC and EYM King, LP

Jundt said laid-off Burger King workers just had to send their full name, phone number and email address to mioffice@shrynegroup.com. Resumes can also be attached via email but are not required.

“We’re really excited to have people apply,” Jundt added.