The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 371 is proud to announce the workers at Still River Wellness in Torrington recently ratified their first union contract.Still River Wellness workers are just the latest in the CT cannabis industry to negotiate a union contract and join a growing union movement of a cannabis workers in CT.

The workers at Still River Wellness in Torrington secured a two- year contract with an increase of six paid days off, significant wage increases, an increase in the employee discount, and access to union health insurance. 

“Local 371 UFCW represents workers not only in cannabis, but also in food processing, retail, healthcare, casinos, and many service industries.  As a resident of Torrington, I am absolutely thrilled to have our city be home to another responsible union employer who ensures that Torrington jobs are quality jobs”, said Keri Hoehne, Executive Vice President of UFCW Local 371.

“I have always liked my job at Still River Wellness.  Have the security that a union contract can provide, plus having the backing of tens of thousands of other unionized cannabis workers who are members of the UFCW’s Cannabis Workers Rising just ensures that I can build a career at Still River that will be here long into the future.”, said Ashley Corrie, a member of the union’s bargaining committee. 

The UFCW partners with cannabis workers, patients, consumers, community allies, elected officials and business owners to achieve the shared goals of creating an industry with family-sustaining jobs and a focus on social equity.  Through these partnerships and worker organizing, the UFCW’s Cannabis Workers Rising division has been able to set standards throughout the industry in our union contracts. 

We are now accepting applications for the Region One Women’s Network Childcare Grant! This one time grant will be payable to your child care provider or summer camp. Applications are due by October 31, 2024. Fill out your application today and spread the word!

WN-REG1-ChildCare-App

Waterbury, VT. – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 371, which represents essential workers in grocery, meatpacking, food processing, retail, and other essential industries across CT, MA and Vermont, released a statement following Unilever’s announcement that the company will spin off its Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream unit.

UFCW Local 371 President Ronald M. Petronella released the following statement:

“Now more than ever, Ben & Jerry’s workers need a voice at their workplace. As the union for food processing workers, we are here to stand with any Ben & Jerry’s workers impacted by this news.

“UFCW Local 371 remains firmly committed to working with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream workers to secure a strong union contract and protect good jobs in Vermont, no matter what the structure of Unilever’s ice cream business is.”

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UFCW Local 371 is part of the UFCW International, the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.2 million workers and their families in retail, grocery, meatpacking, food processing, cannabis, healthcare and other essential industries in all 50 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the UFCW at ufcw.org.

“My husband and I both work for Stop and Shop, so our entire financial world was about to change. I had to keep strong for my employees, but this wasn’t an easy task when I was so nervous on the inside. Going on strike for two weeks, not knowing what was going to happen to us financially as a family was frightening.” These were some of the thoughts shared by Lucy Sciarretto this morning when speaking to to legislators and the press. Lucy was speaking in favor of HB 5164, a bill that would allow striking workers to collect unemployment benefits after they have been on strike for two consecutive weeks.