Ascend Wellness Cannabis Workers Ratify Union Contract, Ending Historic Strike

More than 300 employees at Ascend Wellness's cannabis cultivation facility in Barry, Illinois voted to ratify their first contract with Teamsters Local 916, bringing a 30‑day unfair‑labor‑practice strike to a close. The strike was described as the largest in the history of the legal U.S. marijuana industry.

The agreement provides higher wages, reduced health‑care costs, stronger protections against unjust discipline, improved paid‑time‑off policies and a new dispute‑resolution process. Teamsters Local 916 President JP Fyans said the victory reflects the workers’ solidarity, while Teamsters Food Processing Division Director Jesse Case noted the contract sets a new standard for cannabis workers nationwide. Ascend Wellness Holdings operates in Illinois and several other states, and the union now represents over 4,000 workers across the state.