Strike at Encore Boston Harbor begins after contract talks stall
More than 1,300 workers at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett walked off the job at 7 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 4, after a contract that had been under negotiation since April expired on Aug. 31, labor representatives said.
Approximately 300 workers picketed and blocked the Broadway entrance to the casino, according to photos distributed by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. The striking staff include housekeepers, cooks, food and beverage workers, slot attendants, cage cashiers, valet and limousine drivers, dispatchers, traffic attendants, groundskeepers, warehouse workers and call center employees.
- Most striking employees are members of UNITE HERE Local 26; 211 workers are organized with Teamsters Local 25.
- The union authorized strike action Aug. 20 by a 97 percent vote of its membership.
- The casino remained open over the holiday weekend, operating with management and nonunion staff.
"The membership voted by 97 percent to authorize strike action."
Union demands and employer stance
Under current pay scales at Encore, employees earn between $15 and $32 an hour. The unions are pressing for a wage package that would raise pay for non-tipped workers by $10 an hour over three years and increase tipped workers' pay by $5 an hour over the same period. Unions also say they are fighting to preserve existing health-care benefits, which management wants to fund in part through the proposed wage increases.
Union leaders portray the dispute as part of a wider industry struggle tied to automation and technological change — such as automated table games, cashless and app-based play, self-service check-in and other systems — that they say undermine guaranteed hours and job security.
Encore has denied that it is seeking to eliminate contractual guarantees of minimum weekly hours. As of Monday, Sept. 7, no additional bargaining sessions had been scheduled, according to NBC Boston.
Local and industry context
Labor activists note that the Encore strike echoes broader hospitality sector organizing in the Boston area. The unions point to prior settlements reached with many Boston hotels in December 2024, in which Local 26 secured raises for hotel employees following a wave of strikes across the city.
Workers at Encore said they are resisting what they describe as efforts to strip contractual protections for minimum hours and other guarantees. Management’s continued operation of the facility with nonunion personnel raises questions about service levels, crowding and employee morale, with potential ripple effects for nearby businesses and transit on busy weekends.
Key figures at a glance
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Workers on strike | 1,300+ |
| Workers picketing Broadway entrance | ~300 |
| Union authorization vote | 97% |
| Current wage range | $15–$32/hour |
| Union wage demand | +$10/hr (non-tipped, over 3 years); +$5/hr (tipped) |
For Boston-area residents, the strike raises immediate concerns about traffic and security around the Everett casino complex and longer-term questions about the future of work in hospitality and gaming. If the walkout persists, it could pressure local businesses that rely on casino traffic, affect municipal services during large events and influence broader labor relations in the region.
As negotiations remain paused, both sides face public scrutiny: unions seeking to maintain pay and benefits in an evolving industry, and management balancing operational continuity with proposed contract terms. Local residents and workers will be watching whether further bargaining resumes and whether a settlement can be reached that addresses wages, health care and guaranteed hours.
WE NEWS will continue to monitor developments and report any scheduled bargaining sessions, company statements and union updates as they become available.
