Illinois Pot Industry Buzzing With Union Drives

The marijuana industry is expected to generate thousands of high-wage jobs in Illinois over the next decade, and there’s a strong chance cannabis growers and sellers will be hiring union labor.

Legislation (H.B. 1438) legalizing cannabis for recreational use Jan. 1, 2020, includes language affirming labor neutrality. The bill, headed to the desk of Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) who’s expected to sign it, also specifies that businesses seeking marijuana licenses with the state must be given credit for demonstrating “a plan of action” to “engage in fair labor practices, and provide worker protections.”

While the proposed law doesn’t ...