TOWSON, Md., Jan. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — United Food and Commercial Workers Local 27 (UFCW27) and Vireo Health International, Inc. (“Vireo” or “the Company”) (CNSX: VREO;OTCQX: VREOF), today announced that workers at its wholly-owned subsidiary, MaryMed, LLC (“MaryMed”), voted overwhelmingly to ratify a Collective Bargaining Agreement and officially join the ranks of UFCW Local 27.
The three-year agreement marks the first medical cannabis union contract ratified in the State of Maryland. The agreement will cover employees working in Vireo’s state-of-the-art 20,000 square-foot Hurlock, Maryland-based manufacturing facility, which supplies precisely formulated medical cannabis products to third-party dispensaries throughout the state.
“We are excited to welcome MaryMed employees into UFCW27,” said Jason Chorpenning, President of UFCW Local 27. “This contract is an important win for the future of all workers in the cannabis industry and I am very proud of the role that UFCW has played in helping to bring collective bargaining to the cannabis industry. I want to thank our union bargaining committee led by Nelson Hill and Vireo Health for their hard work to create good-paying jobs for Maryland residents.”
The agreement includes several provisions that will benefit MaryMed’s employees. The contract provides employees with competitive starting wages, access to affordable and high-quality healthcare, guaranteed annual wage increases, and a generous paid time off program. It also includes comprehensive safety provisions and anti-discrimination language and establishes sound procedures for grievance and arbitration matters.
“As a ‘people-first’ business, Vireo is deeply committed to our employees and we are proud to be a union employer in Maryland and beyond,” said Kyle Kingsley, M.D., CEO of Vireo Health. “Our workforce is key to our company’s success and we look forward to partnering with UFCW to support legislation, such as legalizing adult-use cannabis, that will help create thousands of new middle-class jobs across Maryland.”
About UFCW Local 27
UFCW Local 27 represents approximately 20,000 members in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Our mission is to secure a living wage, good benefits and a positive work environment for our members; to represent them so that all workers have the opportunity to reach the American Dream. We provide a voice for working men and women. For more information about UFCW Local 27, www.ufcw27.org.
About MaryMed, LLC
MaryMed, LLC is a licensed medical cannabis company headquartered in Hurlock, MD, where the Company operates a 20,000 square foot cultivation and processing facility. MaryMed is a subsidiary of Vireo Health International, Inc. (“Vireo”). Vireo’s mission is to build the cannabis company of the future by bringing the best of medicine, engineering and science to the cannabis industry. Vireo’s physician-led team of more than 400 employees provides best-in-class cannabis products and customer experience. For more information about MaryMed, please visit www.vireohealth.com/md.
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