Windy City Cannabis and the Food and Commercial Workers Union

After being subject to a November theft at their south suburban location, workers at Windy City Cannabis reached out to organizers of the Food and Commercial Workers union for support. Windy City employees make up one of an estimated 17,000 Illinois workers (and half a million nationwide) employed in an industry that has the fastest-growing unionization trend.

Homewood Dispensaries operates dispensaries in Homewood, Posen, and Litchfield as well as plans for future stores in Highwood, Carpentersville, and Macomb. Furthermore, it was successful in winning an entry into Chicago’s North Weed District license lottery held earlier this year.

Safe and Secure:

Windy City Cannabis is one of the biggest dispensary chains in Illinois, but they remains one of the go-to shops for many customers thanks to its quick service and fantastic offers (like 10% off for students and seniors and 20% off medical customers every last Wednesday of every month!). Their Homewood, Litchfield, Posen, Highwood, and Macomb locations are well known for being bright, clean, and welcoming spaces with staff ready and willing to answer questions, explain options, and help customers find exactly what they are searching for.

Homewood location of Homewood Healthcare Center was an oasis of positivity and care during the COVID-19 pandemic, even as staff faced long lines to treat patients safely and provide care. Every effort was made by everyone in charge to keep people safe and sound.

Homewood workers voted in favor of joining UFCW Local 881 on October 13, but negotiations between management and union have yet to take place. Employees were motivated to vote by health and safety concerns such as ventilation issues, inadequate benefits packages, lack of wages as well as needing more COVID-19 protocols and protections.

Marijuana industry workers have long been galvanized by safety, working conditions, and pay issues; Tammee Miles from Windy City Cannabis store in South Suburban Posen reached out to Teresa Ramirez-Gonzalez of UFCW Local 881 after an attempted robbery attempt occurred at their store in November 2021; as a result she encouraged her coworkers to join and ultimately they did join!

Locally Owned and Operated:

Windy City Cannabis has earned its place as a trusted brand within Chicago’s South Side community, providing patients with top service and top-quality products while creating jobs and driving economic development in local neighborhoods. Their team consists of highly trained and experienced professionals committed to finding you what meets your individual needs. This jokingly named dispensary occupies Chicago’s Weed Street–an obvious choice! Behind its catchy name lies a stylishly designed shop offering an extensive menu and drawing a loyal following of visitors looking for either an afternoon high or a potency nightcap.

This location offers an impressive selection of products, such as edibles and vape pens. If you prefer online shopping or CanPay (contactless payment app), they provide these as options as well. Steven Weisman, 29, an attorney by trade who spent several years working in the mergers and acquisitions department of a downtown law firm before leaving to pursue one of Illinois’ coveted marijuana dispensary licenses and open multiple locations across the south and southwest suburbs.

Windy City Cannabis has made great progress, yet remains far from fully established as an operation. Financial issues and litigation from billionaire chewing gum heir William Wrigley Jr. – who operates Georgia-based Parallel marijuana business and reached an agreement to buy Windy City Cannabis – has plagued it. Though facing numerous challenges, employees at the Posen store report an exciting time working there. Tammee Miles, budtender for the facility, she says things have improved considerably since staff began organizing with Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 881 last fall. Miles and other employees will cast votes this week on whether to accept representation by FCW Local 881; they declined to comment regarding either vote or recent attempts on their shop by criminals.

Dedicated to Your Well-Being:

Windy City Family Dispensaries provide an inviting and safe atmosphere where passionate Dispensary Associates match people with cannabis products that best suit them. Offering high-quality selection, personalized service and an inviting ambience encourage patrons to stay longer and return often. Windy City Cannabis is committed to supporting the medical marijuana community, hosting regular outreach and education events to raise awareness about its many benefits. Their Posen location stands out as an advocate in their locality, leading the charge in patient education on available treatments. They place great emphasis on inclusive hiring practices that facilitate equitable, diverse growth within their company.

Windy City team’s dedication to helping those suffering from chronic illnesses extends beyond providing direct assistance; they also give back to the communities in which they operate through partnerships with nonprofits such as Brave Space Alliance and Growing Home to give aid where it’s most needed. Windy City Cannabis currently operates dispensaries in Homewood, Highwood, Posen and Litchfield in Illinois. Furthermore, adult use dispensaries will open later this month in Carpentersville and Macomb – making Windy City one of the largest cannabis operators in Illinois.

Windy City Cannabis’s hard work, integrity, and commitment to their community have resulted in numerous awards over time – Chicago Magazine even named Windy City as Best Marijuana Dispensary in Illinois while Consumer Choice named Windy as one of their Top 100 Dispensaries! They are also members of both National Association of Cannabis Businesses and Illinois Dispensary Association. Parallel, the largest privately-held multi-state cannabis operator in the US, has entered an agreement to purchase some assets of Windy City Cannabis through a cash and stock transaction. Parallel will acquire six Illinois dispensary locations from Windy City Cannabis that will increase their footprint in Illinois where two already existed before.

Bringing Peace to More Minds:

Windy City Cannabis takes pride in serving their community through medical and adult-use cannabis. As well as sharing knowledge and bringing peace to more minds. Windy City Cannabis provided their customers with a safe environment during the coronavirus pandemic, remaining open and providing purchases in spite of long lines outside. Their staff were courteous and professional even during busy periods when lines ran down the block!

Tammee Miles and her coworkers at Chicago-based Cresco, an operator that manages most Illinois dispensaries, were not surprise. When an attempted break-in took place at its Posen store near Chicago in late November. Concerns had already expressed by workers at Posen store regarding safety and working conditions. So when an unknown man drove through a garage delivery door to grab money from customers outside, calling union organizers seemed like a no-brainer.

Organized labor has seen steady membership losses for decades due to more welcoming public sector employers; but in the marijuana industry. One of the fastest-growing sectors nationwide – employees are motivate by safety concerns and working conditions. Garnering more workplace union elections victories than Amazon or Starbucks combined! Legal cannabis operations remain among the highest operating costs nationwide despite their relatively recent inception. State and local taxes account for roughly one-third of sales; banks don’t handle cash directly so many stores must also hire security guards to secure it on-premises.

Windy City Cannabis Store in Litchfield is an essential stop for locals and travelers. Though small in size, their staff is fast and friendly with extensive product knowledge. If you’re in central Illinois, make sure you stop by this store to find your favorite strain or edible! Check them out if you’re nearby!