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Workers from 2 Encore Boston Harbor unions vote to authorize strike
Unless an agreement can be reached, the strike will go into effect Friday, June 30, at midnight.
Two unions representing approximately 1,400 workers at Encore Boston Harbor have voted to authorize a strike.
On Wednesday, 98% of UNITE HERE Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 workers voted to support a strike, which, unless an agreement is reached, will go into effect Friday, June 30, at midnight, according to tweets from the two unions.
Negotiations for a new contract began in March with the initial contract expiring April 19, WBZ NewsRadio reported.
In the video below, Carlos Aramayo, president of UNITE HERE Local 26, reminds workers what they’re fighting for, saying, “A five-star contract with five-star wages, five-star benefits, and five-star job security by midnight on June 30 — we’re going to strike Encore Boston Harbor until we get it done.”
In a press release, shared by multiple media outlets including NBC10 Boston, Encore bar porter David Hernandez said, ““Living in the Boston area is very expensive. A lot of people who work at Encore, including myself, need to have more than one job in order to survive.
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“This means we spend less time with our families,” Hernandez continued. “The company calls us the ‘Five-Star Team’ but that just means we are doing all the hard work so that the casino can maintain its Forbes Five-Star rating.”
In an emailed statement, Michael Weaver, spokesperson for Wynn Resorts, which owns the casino, said “Encore has been actively bargaining in good faith with Unite Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 since early March, with the goal of providing our employees with competitive wages, benefits and a working environment that reflects our high standards and the experience we strive to create. We have provided a proposal that directly addresses the union’s request for compensation market parity.”
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