Everett, Massachusetts: Encore Boston Harbor Workers Ratify Contract and End 63 Day Strike

More than 1,300 workers at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett returned to work on Friday morning, Nov. 6, after ratifying a new contract on Thursday that ended a 63 day strike at the Wynn Resorts casino.

The Teamsters said on Friday that workers represented by Teamsters Local 25 and UNITE HERE Local 26 had overwhelmingly ratified a five and a half year collective bargaining agreement. The union said the contract includes significant wage increases, enhanced benefits and improved working conditions. The full terms have not been made public. State House News Service reported that a spokesperson for the workers said the agreement delivers on all three of their core goals, and that employees returned to work together on Friday morning. Some employees began returning at around 6 a.m. on Friday.

A strike that began on Sept. 4

The workers walked out on Sept. 4, days after their previous agreements expired on Aug. 31. In August the workers had voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, with more than 95 percent in favor according to the Local 26 strike page. The bargaining unit covers housekeepers, cooks, servers, bartenders, slot attendants and warehouse staff, and it includes 211 Teamsters who work in the warehouse, horticulture, the call center, the cage, limousine service, dispatch, traffic, valet and guest experience departments.

Casino.org reported that the unions had sought pay comparable to unionized downtown Boston hotels, stronger job protections, and the preservation of healthcare benefits and guaranteed hours. The resort stayed open during the strike, and the unions urged visitors to boycott the casino while picketers stood outside.

The strike cut into casino revenue

Massachusetts Gaming Commission figures show Encore made $46.1 million in gross gaming revenue in September, down about 22 percent from $59.1 million a year earlier, its lowest monthly total since February 2021. Wynn reported on Thursday that Encore's total third quarter operating revenue fell to $194.7 million from $211.8 million a year earlier. On Wynn's earnings call on Thursday, Chief Executive Craig Billings called the strike a modest headwind and announced that management had reached a framework for a settlement with union leaders, with a ratification vote set for later that day.

The strike drew support from Massachusetts politicians, including Governor Maura Healey, who visited the picket line, and federal lawmakers who questioned Wynn about the dispute, Casino.org reported.

Teamsters Local 25 President Thomas G. Mari said the strike showed what happens when working people stand together. UNITE HERE Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo said members held the line through cold, rain and storm, in a statement carried by Casino.org. Wynn welcomed the settlement and said it had reached an agreement that worked for its employees and the resort's long term future.