The inaugural celebration of Labor Day was initiated by the Central Labor Union in New York City on September 5, 1882. Now, one hundred and forty-four years later, two labor unions in Boston are protesting their contracts at a prominent casino resort.
While Americans enjoy Labor Day with festivities, union workers at Encore Boston Harbor are on strike near the property managed by Wynn Resorts. Over 1,300 members of Unite Here Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 at Encore Boston Harbor began striking on September 4 after contract talks with the luxury resort hit an impasse.
The strike outside the casino’s main entrance on Broadway has been ongoing. It extended into Labor Day (September 7), with Teamsters and Unite Here members invited to join the picket line from the region.
Strike Continues
Teamsters Boston urged its members on Facebook to join the Encore Boston strike. The strike led the Teamsters to cancel their annual Labor Day cookout.
Happy Labor Day from the Encore Boston Harbor strike line where we are fighting for workers that deserve a fair contract,” Teamsters officials wrote.
The picket line, manned by union members in various roles at Encore Boston Harbor, including housekeepers, cooks, servers, bartenders, and more, continues day and night.
“All day, all night, Encore Boston’s on strike,” Unite Here Local 26 shared on Facebook.
Unite Here released an official statement to celebrate Labor Day.
Today, we honor the legacy of the labor movement and the struggles of those who came before us. While there is still so much to fight for, we have so much to celebrate and look forward to,” Unite Here said.
Wynn Resorts informed Casino.org that operations at Encore Boston Harbor are running normally.
Contract Talks
Collective bargaining agreements for Teamsters and Unite Here workers at Encore Boston Harbor expired on August 31.
The unions are seeking $10 per hour wage increases over four years, with assurance of preserving current health care and pension benefits. Union leaders also want to establish a $25 per hour starting wage for all union jobs.
Wynn officials claim union employees already earn an average of nearly $96,000 annually in pay and benefits. They argue that the union demands jeopardize jobs as the employer views the compensation as unsustainable.
The unions accuse the casino of not negotiating in good faith.