WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Workers at cannabis company Cresco Labs' Joliet, Illinois facility have voted in favor of unionizing.
Workers at the plant, which is a cannabis cultivation and production facility, voted 58-32 earlier this week to join Local 881 of the United Food and Commercial Workers or UFCW union. The UFCW already represents about 10,000 cannabis workers nationwide.
This is the first time that workers in Illinois' marijuana industry have opted to unionize after recreational marijuana was legalized in the state, according to reports.
UFCW Local 881 President Steve Powell reportedly said in a statement the union is proud of the Cresco Labs workers and 'looks forward to standing with them to negotiate a fair and just contract that will improve their working conditions.'
In a tweet, Senator Bernie Sanders encouraged the Cresco Labs workers in Joliet to unionize and said he will help to double union membership across the country if he gets elected as president.
Cresco Labs CEO and co-founder Charlie Bachtell reportedly said in a statement that his company looked forward to continuing to provide the employees a fair package of employee wages, health and retirement benefits as well as an environment that is a great place to work.
In October, Cresco Labs said it has received state approval to sell marijuana for recreational use at all five of its medical cannabis dispensaries in Illinois. In September, the company received approval to grow marijuana for recreational use at its three existing Illinois cultivation centers.
Cresco Labs recently said it has permission for the largest cultivation footprint at 630,000 square feet and ten retail dispensaries in Illinois, including three in in the city of Chicago.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX