Encore Boston Harbor Workers Return After Ratifying New Labor Deal

Employees at Encore Boston Harbor will return to their posts on Friday, with some shifts beginning at 6 a.m., following the ratification of a new labor agreement. The vote concluded a work stoppage that had kept 1,300 staff members away from the resort since September 4. The workforce includes bartenders, waitstaff, housekeepers, slot attendants, groundskeepers, drivers, and warehouse personnel. The unions representing the workers, UNITE HERE Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25, announced the approval on Thursday night.

The new contract resolves a dispute that significantly impacted the casino's operations. During the 63-day strike, an around-the-clock picket line remained at the facility entrance. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission reported that Encore revenues fell by more than 20 percent in September, dropping to levels seen during the pandemic. To maintain operations during the dispute, management and non-striking employees staffed many areas of the resort. The free water shuttle, valet parking, and several high-end restaurants were also closed or reduced during the work stoppage.

Carlos Aramayo, president of Local 26, said members held their positions through cold and rain. "Now they go back in as partners with Encore Boston Harbor, with respect on both sides," Aramayo said in a statement. He added that the community supported the workers and that they would now provide the five-star service the area deserves. Icylyn Whittaker, a groundskeeper and shop steward for Local 26, stated that the experience clarified the meaning of union membership. "We go back in as one team, with each other, with Encore and with the community that stood by us," Whittaker said.

Thomas Mari, president of Local 25, described the agreement as recognition of the workers' value. Mari said the strike demonstrated the power of working people standing together. "This is what union solidarity looks like," he wrote in a release. An Encore spokesperson expressed pleasure at reaching an agreement that works for employees and the long-term future of the business. The company said it looks forward to welcoming the union employees back to the team.

Wynn Resorts, which operates Encore Boston Harbor, announced a framework for resolution with union leadership during an afternoon call with investors. The company also operates properties in Las Vegas, Macao, and London. The dispute attracted attention from regional elected officials throughout October. Governor Maura Healey visited the picket line and posted support on social media. U.S. Senator Ed Markey spoke to workers at a rally on October 24. U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren co-signed a letter to Wynn Resorts chief executive Craig Billings on October 9 regarding company profits and investments. Local leaders, including the Boston and Everett city councils, passed resolutions supporting the strike.

Specific financial details of the new contract were not disclosed in the unions' release. The agreement ends a period where the casino relied on management and non-striking staff to keep essential services running. The return of the full workforce marks the end of the visible labor action at the Everett facility.