1,300+ Workers Strike at Encore Boston Harbor Casino
More than 1,300 workers walked off the job at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, Massachusetts, on the morning of September 4 after contract negotiations between Wynn Resorts and two unions collapsed. Teamsters Local 25 and UNITE HERE Local 26 represent employees across front desk, housekeeping, culinary, bartending, slot attendant, and warehouse roles at the property.
What the unions are asking for
The unions authorized the strike by a 97% vote on August 20 and set a Friday deadline after what workers described as management's refusal to bargain in good faith. Their core demands include a $25-an-hour starting minimum wage, roughly $10 an hour in raises phased in through 2030, and keeping existing healthcare and pension benefits intact. Teamsters Local 25 President Thomas G. Mari said in a statement, "When a company refuses to respect the workers who make its profits possible, we shut it down." Tommy Blitsch, who directs the Teamsters' casino division, added that "Encore management has pushed our members to the brink because they thought they could take our labor for granted."
Management's position
Wynn Resorts has pushed back on the framing that its workers are underpaid, saying employees already earn an average of roughly $95,718 a year in combined pay and benefits and pointing to a proposed 37% increase in compensation over four years against what it says has been only 1.9% revenue growth over the same period. The union's demands come as the property has continued to post strong results — Encore Boston Harbor generated approximately $847 million in revenue last year, a figure the unions have cited as evidence the resort can afford their proposal.
What's actually affected
Encore Boston Harbor has remained open throughout the walkout, with management saying hotel reservations are being honored and casino operations are continuing. The dispute is a labor and contract fight rather than a closure, so guests and bettors visiting the property haven't lost access to the casino floor or hotel rooms, though picket lines have been active at the resort's entrances since Friday morning.