Union employees at Encore Boston Harbor, a Wynn-operated gaming property in Everett, Boston, Massachusetts, are preparing to go on strike after failing to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement with the casino management. At the same time, Wynn told gaming news outlet Casino.org that it remains committed to reaching a fair agreement that doesn’t ignore the financial reality of the situation.
The Workers Prepare to Strike This Friday
Last month, some 1,350 workers at Encore Boston Harbor voted in favor of a strike after repeated failures to negotiate better work conditions. The workers, who are members of Unite Here Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25, include all manner of casino staffers, such as slot attendants, bartenders, cooks, servers, housekeepers, and warehouse workers, among others.
The workers seek hourly pay increases of $10 over four years and starting base pay of $25 an hour, as well as healthcare and pension benefit guarantees. For reference, the union members’ bargaining contracts expired on August 31.
Since casino officials have yet to agree to these terms, the 1,000+ union members are now preparing for a strike. The employees are threatening to walk off the job this Friday to highlight how serious they are…