More than 1,200 employees at Encore Boston Harbor will take a strike vote at the end of August, PlayMA has learned.
In total, 700 employees of Encore Boston Harbor are expected to participate in a rally near the casino resort on Wednesday. The union members are demanding wage increases, a more comprehensive pension plan and improvements to employee attendance policy.
What the hand technique vote method looks like
Encore Boston Possess is the most significant and most revenue-driving of the few Massachusetts internet casinos.
At the rally, union workers are preparing to announce their intention to call for a strike vote. The vote may not take place until late in June, but it will set the process in motion.
It’s a negotiation process, in some sense. Once a date is set, all union members will vote to approve or reject a strike.
Carlos Aramayo, the president of UNITE HERE Local 26, told PlayMA in an interview Thursday that the members are seeking “fair and reasonable terms in our new contract.” The union has more than 12,000 members in the Massachusetts and Rhode Island hotel, casino, airport and food service industries.
“People want some real job security,” Aramayo said. “The company has a strict attendance policy, much stricter than elsewhere, and (employees) want the possibility of earning pension benefits.”
UNITE HERE represents housekeeping staff, room attendants, doormen, bellmen, front desk agents, food and beverage workers, cooks, servers, dishwashers and other employees at resorts, restaurants, and casino establishments. Members also include workers in those jobs at Boston area airports, bus stations, and other resorts like Bally’s Twin River Lincoln. The union represents workers at 36 hotels in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Encore Boston Harbor is a luxury hotel resort and casino that opened in 2019. When EBH first opened, it promised to provide good-paying jobs that would benefit Everett and employees.
The previous Collective Bargaining Agreement for Members of UNITE HERE Local 26 expired on April 19. This is the first renegotiation of a CBA since the property, which is owned by Wynn Resorts, opened. The last time the two sides met was on Monday.
Encore Boston Possess workers creating less than during other features
According to Aramayo, workers at EBH are earning on average $1.80 less than others working in the same industry. For many employees at EBH, they are making less than what they previously made in jobs at other resorts, Aramayo said.
For workers like union member Monike Martin, the fight for a better CBA is about getting a fair wage commensurate with the work being provided, as well as a reflection of the success of Encore. In 2022, CEO Matt Maddox received $12.2 million in salary and other benefits, according to Simple Stock Market.
Martin, who was born in the U.S. but raised in Brazil, previously worked in the cruise ship industry. She is now a beverage server on the gaming floor at EBH.
“I have always worked in (the) restaurant industry and entertainment,” she told PlayMA. “At first, (working at EBH) was very nice, being the biggest resort in Boston, it sounds very fancy.
“We’re just asking for the basics. We’re working at a property that is a five-star casino resort, and we are the engine that makes that big money machine go. To me, it’s a matter of dignity. We deserve a five-star contract.”
Martin notes that she and many of her colleagues cannot afford to live in Everett or anywhere near their job. As a result, they have to commute, sometimes for more than an hour. Martin makes $8.14 per hour, a rate that is well below the $14.14 paid to beverage servers at the resort operated by Wynn in Las Vegas. The cost of living in the Boston area is significantly higher than it is in Nevada.
If the union votes to strike, Martin says she will likely have to take on a part-time gig as an Uber driver and look for server jobs elsewhere. Martin says an average one-bedroom apartment in Everett is $2,000 per month, a price that the EBH employees cannot afford
Staff attendance insurance plan
Martin mentioned that some of her colleagues have been victims of an alleged unfair attendance policy. Under the EBH rules, an employee accrues “points” each time they are late or absent from work. Once eight points are accumulated, a written warning is issued and with 12 points, termination.
However, Martin points out that many of the employees live more than 30-60 minutes away in commute time and have families. When family emergencies occur, these employees were penalized under the policy, Martin said.
“We are here to ensure that tomorrow is better than today, that’s why we are all working, right?” Martin said. “It’s not wrong to stand up for what you believe in. It’s not wrong to ask for more from a company that makes billions of dollars. It’s not wrong to ask that company to treat their employees better.”
Encore Boston Possess expansion strategies
Martin mentioned that some of her colleagues have been victims of an alleged unfair attendance policy. Under the EBH rules, an employee accrues “points” each time they are late or absent from work. Once eight points are accumulated, a written warning is issued, and with 12 points, termination.
However, Martin points out that many of the employees live more than 30-60 minutes away in commute time and have families. When family emergencies occur, these employees were penalized under the policy, Martin said.
“We are here to ensure that tomorrow is better than today, that’s why we are all working, right?” Martin said. “It’s not wrong to stand up for what you believe in. It’s not wrong to ask for more from a company that makes billions of dollars. It’s not wrong to ask that company to treat their employees better.”
Dan Sherlock Holmes is a Staff Writer for PlayMA with plenty of experience under his belt. Dan has written three books about sports and previously worked for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Major League Baseball. He also has extensive experience in the launch of sports betting in other states, including Ohio and Maryland. Currently, Dan is residing in Michigan with his family.
