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Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Red Sox Concession Workers Strike in 113-Year Fenway Park First
Concession workers at Fenway Park announced a strike Sunday ahead of the Boston Red Sox's home game against the New York Yankees in the final game of a three-game series. After a three-day vote that concluded Sunday morning, 95% of the membership of Unite Here Local 26, the Boston chapter of the hospitality workers' union, voted to authorize a strike of more than 1,000 Aramark employees at Fenway and the adjacent MGM Music Hall. Advertisement More from It's the first time in the 113-year history of the ballpark that concession employees have walked off the job. The Red Sox forwarded a request for comment to Aramark, which has yet to respond. Employees have worked without a contract with Aramark since the end of 2024, and though the two sides have continued talks, the union said the sides aren't close on several issues, including wage increases, scheduling based on seniority and limits to the use of automation. The latter is a component that's become more concerning for employees. In a June 13 Boston Globe story, one Fenway concessions employee said her earnings have declined since Aramark added an AI-powered checkout machine that limited her interactions with fans and opportunities to earn tips. Advertisement 'The number of times that we've heard out loud, 'Who am I even tipping?' You know, people laugh about it,' Amanda Savage told the Globe. In a statement, Local 26 president Carlos Aramayo touted his chapter's success in negotiating wage increases for other hospitality workers in Boston. He said staffers at Fenway should earn the same. 'Local 26 hotel workers fought for and won $10 an hour raises last year, and Local 26 university dining workers will be making a minimum of $30 an hour by 2028,' Aramayo said. 'There's no reason for Fenway workers to be left behind. They deserve raises and respect.' The union claims that despite the rising costs of living in the Boston area, Fenway employees are paid $18.52 per hour compared with their peers in Miami, who the union said earn $21.25 an hour at the Marlins' loanDepot Park. The cost of living is 28% higher in Boston than Miami-Dade County, Fla., according to Nerd Wallet data. Advertisement The Red Sox, MLB's third-most valuable team at $6.03 billion, per Sportico valuations, rank 10th in average game attendance this season with 32,721 fans per game. The Marlins are 28th among all 30 teams in average game attendance at 11,648 fans. Both stadiums seat approximately 37,000 fans. Unite Here represents over 300,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada, with members employed throughout the food service, hotel, casino, laundry and warehouse industries. Last September, Local 274, which represents food and beverage workers for Philadelphia's three primary sports venues, went on strike against Aramark. Workers ended the strike four days later as the Phillies began their postseason run, but the two sides did not immediately sign a contract and maintained calls for fans to boycott of merchandise shops at Citizens Bank Park. Concessions returned to normal services, though, and the two sides eventually agreed to a new deal prior to the start of the 2025 MLB season. Aramark manages food services at stadiums, arenas, convention centers, schools, correction facilities and other venues across 15 countries. In May, the company won a contract to provide food and beverage services for the Athletics' planned new ballpark in Las Vegas. Advertisement Aramark is also providing food and beverage at Oakmont Country Club in the Pittsburgh suburbs, where the U.S. Open is taking place this weekend for the 10th time. Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Miami Herald
14-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
No beer: Iconic baseball stadium faces worker strike
People never seem all that sympathetic when professional athletes strike. They generally see the conflict as millionaires fighting billionaires. In both cases, it's rich people battling slightly less rich people over more money than most people see in their lives. Related: New class action suit claims Costco is tricking you on prices The reality, however, is somewhat different. Even though the numbers are very large, the players are still the little guys in any labor dispute. Yes, the money even for mediocre players is very high, but players have short careers, and put their bodies on the line in a way that often has lifelong consequences. The sums being fought about may be higher, but the reality is that players are fighting to get more of the money they make for owners. It's not about the guys at the top of the pay scale (although they often benefit the most), but the ones who might fight to make it to the highest levels. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Strikes by athletes are generally seen as self-indulgent, but they are really not that different from any workers seeking there fair share. That's what's happening in Boston as Fenway Park workers represented by Unite Here Local 26 have been voting on a potential strike. The workers began voting on June 13 and the vote will conclude on June 15. "Unite Here Local 26 represents workers in the hospitality industries of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Our members work in Boston and Providence's best hotels, restaurants, and university dining halls in addition to the Boston Convention Centers, Fenway Park and Logan International Airport. We clean hotel rooms, greet guests, and prepare and serve food for hundreds of thousands of travelers to Boston and the northeast," the union shared on its website. The workers have been working without a contract since 2024. They seek higher wages and guarantees against further automation of their jobs. Retail closings: Popular local Dairy Queen rival suddenly closing, no bankruptcyAnother big Mexican chain closing down restaurant, no bankruptcyUPS suddenly closing more stores amid chaotic new change, layoffsPopular fast-food burger chain closes all restaurants in key area Workers represented by the union are employees of Aramark and not the Boston Red Sox. Positions impacted include beer vendors, cashiers, cooks, servers, souvenir vendors and others, according to the union. Should the workers authorize a strike and the workers actually stage a walkout, it would be the first time Fenway Park concession workers have walked off the job. While it's unlikely games would cancelled in the event of a strike, a walkout could limit food, beverage, and other concessions at the stadium. That could make it harder, if not impossible, to enjoy a Fenway Frank (a hot dog that's unique to the iconic ballpark. Voting for a strike authorization is not a final step. It simply gives union negotiators and added tool to bargain with. Local 26 hotel workers, however, did strike in 2024. That strike was about higher wages, which is the core goal of the Fenway Park workers. Related: Huge music retail chain closes all stores after 'bankruptcy' "Red Sox fans come to Fenway not just to enjoy the games and watch the athletes. They return year after year and they look for the server who gave them great service and made their experience at the ballpark a memorable one. It's a personal connection," Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo said in a statement. "These workers should be paid well, in line with the citywide standard, and they should not have to worry about losing their jobs to technology." The hotel strike ended after four days when an agreement was reached and voted on by the union. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fenway concession workers could walk off the job for the first time. Here's why
By Isabel Hart Workers at Fenway Park and MGM Music Hall represented by the Unite Here Local 26 union are planning a strike vote in June to advocate for higher wages. The hospitality workers union, which represents over 1,000 Aramark workers at the two venues, will host a strike authorization vote from June 13th to 15th, it said. Workers in the union include beer sellers, cashiers, cooks, servers, souvenir vendors and others, according to the union. The union is negotiating a new contract with Aramark, after the previous contract expired at the end of 2024. The union said it began bargaining with Aramark, the food service and facilities management company that employs the workers, earlier this year. 'Both parties are far apart on reaching agreement,' the union said. Aramark did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Unite Here Local 26 is the same union that represented hundreds of hotel workers who went on strike last year. Should the workers vote to authorize a strike and proceed with one, it will be the first time concession workers at Fenway Park strike, according to the union. A strike authorization vote is a standard union process required before a strike can be called. Strike authorizations do not necessarily mean a strike will take place. A tentative date has not been given. The union said the workers earn less than $20 dollars an hour, and want more competitive wages that better line up with the cost of living in Boston. The union also said that increased automation at certain concessions, including the beer stands, is taking away jobs and decreasing earnings. 'Red Sox fans come to Fenway not just to enjoy the games and watch the athletes. They return year after year and they look for the server who gave them great service and made their experience at the ballpark a memorable one. It's a personal connection,' Carlos Aramayo, president of UNITE HERE Local 26 said in a statement. 'These workers should be paid well, in line with the citywide standard, and they should not have to worry about losing their jobs to technology.' Fall River woman sentenced to prison for stealing child's Social Security benefits Whip City Fiber schedules information for residents on Wednesday to learn about town-owned gigabit internet service Harvard amends lawsuit against Trump admin following $450 million cut Longtime restaurant in Boston suburb permanently closing this month 77-year-old woman seriously hurt in crash at Cape Cod grocery store parking lot Read the original article on MassLive.
