Teamsters at Encore Boston Harbor Vote to Authorize Strike for Fair Pay

The Facts -

Encore Boston Harbor Workers Approve Strike Authorization Amid Contract Disputes

(EVERETT, Mass.) – In a decisive move, over 1,300 employees at Encore Boston Harbor have signaled their readiness to initiate a strike, demanding fair wages and improved working conditions. Represented by Teamsters Local 25 and UNITE HERE Local 26, the workforce is pushing back against management’s current stance in contract negotiations.

The authorization vote saw Local 25, which includes 211 workers from diverse roles such as those in the warehouse, horticulture, floral departments, call center, cage cashiers, limo drivers, dispatchers, traffic attendants, and more, overwhelmingly support the potential work stoppage.

Tommy Blitsch, Director of the Teamsters Convention, Trade Show, and Casino Division, highlighted the workers' frustrations, stating, “The workers at Encore Boston Harbor work hard and make the casino the financial success that it is... There is only one way this ends, with a fair agreement.”

Warehouse worker and Local 25 member Sem Avdic emphasized the urgency for a fair contract, expressing, “We’re proud of what we built at Encore... Nobody wants to strike. But nobody is going to keep making Wynn rich while our own families fall behind.”

According to SEC filings by Wynn Resorts, Encore’s Boston location generated $847 million last year. Despite this significant revenue, management has yet to return to the negotiating table with a proposal that addresses the workers' call for wage enhancements. With the current contract terminating on August 31, employees are poised to halt work if a satisfactory agreement isn't reached.

Local 25 President Thomas G. Mari called for solidarity, asserting, “This is a union town. Teamsters don’t cross picket lines, and neither does Boston... if our members are on that sidewalk, we’re asking every worker and every family in this city to stand with them: while they’re out, stay out.”

Operating since 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a major labor union representing 1.3 million hardworking individuals across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. More information can be found at Teamster.org. Follow their updates on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

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