WARWICK – Workers at another local cannabis dispensary have agreed to unionize.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 328 announced Tuesday that personal care specialists at RISE Dispensary voted 50-6 in favor of forming a union. In a media statement, Local 328 says the 76 RISE Dispensary employees organized with a focus on gaining higher wages, improving benefits and securing workplace protections.
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Local 328 says the RISE Dispensary employees started to organize back in May after Green Thumb Industries acquired the former Summit Medical Compassion Center – now RISE Dispensary – two years ago. Local 328 Director of Organizing Michael Santos told Providence Business News Tuesday that Green Thumb Industries changed multiple aspects of the work environment and the patient experiences within Summit Medical after acquiring the company.
“They made it almost like an Apple store-ish where everything is done through a kiosk. You don’t have much one-on-one interaction anymore,” Santos said. “They just rush you in and rush you out.”
Santos also said workers were losing hours and claimed Green Thumb Industries did away with loyalty programs for employees. Workers at the company were upset and “wanted to get some equity back” at RISE Dispensary, Santos said.
Green Thumb Industries, the union says, attempted to persuade the workers to not unionize after the workers delivered back on June 12 a letter to the company requesting that it voluntarily recognize the new union.
“[The RISE Dispensary workers] are joining a growing movement both locally and across the country of cannabis workers coming together to ensure they have a strong collective voice in this new industry. Congratulations and welcome to our union family!,” Local 328 tweeted Tuesday.
Moving forward, Santos says the union will put together a contract proposal within the next month and presented to Green Thumb Industries. From there, negotiations between the two sides will commence on an agreement.
Local 328 has now partnered with workers at eight local cannabis dispensaries since 2020, including Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center Inc. in Portsmouth and the Ocean State Cultivation Center.
(UPDATED to include responses from Michael Santos of Local 328.)
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
