Encore Boston Casino Workers Vote to Authorize Labor Strike

A highly popular casino in Boston, Massachusetts, is facing the imminent threat of a labor strike. 

More than 1,000 union-member employees at Encore Boston Harbor voted to go on strike on Thursday. The vote was held in advance of the Aug. 31 expiration of the workers’ contract with casino owner and operator Wynn Resorts.

The unions — including United Here Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 — are advocating for higher wages and more benefits.

Encore Boston Harbor casino workers could strike

Approving a strike does not mean that employees will go on strike as soon as the Aug. 31 deadline passes. Instead, they will possess the ability to go on strike any time after the deadline and without providing advance notice to the casino.

A statement released by a spokesperson for Wynn Resorts said that the casino was hoping to finalize an agreement on its “serious proposal” that was presented. 

“[It] is grounded in financial reality,” the statement read. “What we cannot do is sign an agreement that is not financially sustainable, because an unsustainable agreement could put jobs at risk, for union and non-union employees alike.”

A press release from Unite Here Local 26 said that 95 percent of eligible employees voted in favor of the strike.

A similar vote occurred in 2023, but a settlement was reached shortly before a strike went into effect. Local 25 Business Agent Nancy Campbell said that she hoped the looming threat of a strike would send a “message to Encore in Everett and Wynn Management in Las Vegas that Everett and Boston will not be Wynn’s piggy bank.”

“Wynn can end this whenever it chooses, with a fair contract,” added Unite Here Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo.

What comes next?

Union employees are reportedly seeking a wage increase to $10 per hour over three years for non-tipped and $5 for tipped workers, along with secured funds for healthcare. These requests would supposedly put them in line with other casino-hotels in the area.

“We’re proud of what we built at Encore, and we take pride in the work we do every day,” said Sem Avdic, a warehouse worker and member of Teamsters Local 25, in a statement. “We work hard to make this company successful, and we believe we deserve a fair contract that allows us to provide for our families.”

Union members hope that local gamblers will avoid Encore Boston Harbor — which houses live-dealer table games, slot machines, and other amenities — in the event new contracts aren’t signed before the strike goes into effect.

“Encore took in $847 million last year and the workers who greet guests, maintain the grounds, answer phones, move luggage and keep the warehouse running, helped Encore make these millions,” said Campbell. “They deserve a fair contract. They shouldn’t be forced to take a second job when they are the reason Encore is a success.”

It is unclear how Wynn will fill the vacant positions and keep its casino operating if a strike occurs.

The city of Everett, where the casino is based, does not have a direct involvement in the dispute.