Teamsters Cannabis Union Claims Win Over Marijuana MSO in Pennsylvania
A 20-day strike at a marijuana multistate operator-owned medical cannabis dispensary in Pennsylvania ended this week with the union claiming a victory.
Dispensary workers organized by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters at a Wyomissing location of Sunnyside—a retail brand owned by Chicago-based MSO Cresco Labs—went back to work after winning a contract, the union announced in a press release on Thursday. Eighteen workers at the Wyomissing dispensary had gone on strike starting February 26. Cresco did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why are Cannabis Workers Going on Strike?
Budtender turnover has been a major issue in the cannabis industry for years, with many employees citing poor pay and working conditions as key factors. This marks the second successful strike in Pennsylvania in recent months. Last fall, a 45-day strike at a RISE dispensary in York (operated by Green Thumb Industries) also ended with a successful contract and wage increases.
The new contract for Sunnyside workers includes:
Major wage increases
Enhanced healthcare benefits
Extra paid time off (PTO)
Protections for part-time employees
“For the first time, I feel like we are respected and our future is secure,” said Cobi Motley, a Sunnyside employee and Teamsters Local 429 member.
Do Unions Work in the Cannabis Industry?
The Teamsters and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) have been aggressively moving into the cannabis sector to bolster membership. However, results across the country are mixed. While some workers have successfully unionized, others have elected to decertify, believing company-promised raises are better than collectively bargained deals.
Major cannabis operators are also fighting back. For example:
Curaleaf Holdings is suing New Jersey regulators, claiming a state law requiring pro-union agreements is unconstitutional.
Curaleaf is also resisting unionization at an Arizona store in a case currently pending before the National Labor Relations Board.
As adult-use legalization remains stalled in the state legislature, Pennsylvania continues to operate as a medical cannabis-only market.
