Encore Boston Harbor Strike Ends With Contract Deal
Workers at Encore Boston Harbor returned to their jobs on November 6 after members of two unions approved a contract deal, ending a strike that lasted about two months at the Everett resort and casino. The walkout began September 4 and had workers picketing seven days a week. The strike also affected state tax revenues, though no amount was given.
UNITE HERE Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 represent about 1,600 hospitality and other employees, including housekeepers, bartenders, slot attendants, valet workers and warehouse staff. Members ratified the agreement on the night of November 5.
UNITE HERE Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo said the deal met the union’s goals and was fair to workers and the company. He said its wages, benefits and job-security provisions were in line with Greater Boston market standards. The agreement’s terms were not released by the unions or casino management.
Encore management said the agreement supports employees and the resort’s long-term future, and welcomed union workers back. Aramayo said members were glad to return and asked people who had avoided the casino during the strike to come back. He also said the union had provided hardship assistance through a strike fund.
Encore Workers Win Contract After Two-Month Strike
After two months on the picket line, workers at Encore Boston Harbor have a contract deal and are back on the job. Members of UNITE HERE Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 approved the agreement on November 5, ending a strike that began September 4 and had workers picketing seven days a week.
The unions represent about 1,600 employees, from housekeepers and bartenders to slot attendants, valet and warehouse staff. UNITE HERE Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo said the agreement met the union’s goals on wages, benefits and job security, and matched Greater Boston market standards. The full terms have not been made public.
The workers’ return follows a difficult negotiation, Aramayo said, and the union’s strike fund offered hardship assistance during the walkout. Management welcomed the agreement and said it supported the casino’s long-term future. But the workers’ return is also a reminder that employees had to sustain a lengthy strike to reach terms their union says are fair.
The walkout affected state tax revenues, though no figure was provided. Aramayo urged people who stayed away in support of the picket line to return to the casino now that workers are back. The deal closes the strike, while leaving its specific wage and benefit terms undisclosed publicly.
Encore Reopens With Union Deal After Costly Strike
Encore Boston Harbor’s union workforce is back on the job after members approved a contract deal that ended a roughly two-month strike. The agreement brings about 1,600 employees represented by UNITE HERE Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 back to the Everett casino and resort, which said it was pleased to have a deal supporting its long-term future.
The strike began September 4, with workers picketing seven days a week. It affected state tax revenues, although no amount was disclosed. Members ratified the agreement on November 5, and workers returned the following morning.
The contract’s terms have not been released. UNITE HERE Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo said the deal’s wages, benefits and job-security provisions were in line with Greater Boston market standards and met the union’s goals. Management described the agreement as one that works for employees and the resort’s future.
The end of the walkout restores the casino’s full team after weeks of disruption, while the undisclosed terms leave the precise costs and provisions unclear. Aramayo said workers were happy to return and encouraged people who had avoided the casino during the strike to come back. The union also used a strike fund to provide hardship assistance.
Reported by WBUR, GBH News, CBS Boston, Boston.com.
