Teamsters and UNITE HERE Workers Strike at Encore Boston Harbor

More than 1,300 workers at Encore Boston Harbor went on strike on September 4, 2026, after the expiration of their previous contract with the Everett, Massachusetts casino resort. The workers are represented by Teamsters Local 25 and UNITE HERE Local 26.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced the work stoppage in a September 4 press release, stating that the workers had been forced to strike after the company refused to bargain in good faith for a new contract. That characterization is the union’s position in the labor dispute.

The strike followed a formal authorization vote. On August 20, 2026, Teamsters members voted 97 percent to authorize a strike if a fair contract was not reached, the union said. The workers’ previous contract expired on August 31, 2026, according to the Teamsters’ August 21 statement announcing the vote, in which the union said members were prepared for a work stoppage if no deal was reached by that date.

Union Demands and Worker Roles

The striking workforce includes 211 Teamsters members. The union said Local 25 represents workers in the resort’s warehouse, horticulture, and floral departments, along with call center employees, cage cashiers, limo drivers, dispatchers, traffic attendants, and valet and guest experience attendants. The Teamsters described the group as central to Encore’s operations as a five-star resort.

According to the union, the Encore Boston Harbor Teamsters are demanding a contract that delivers better wages, stronger benefits, and enhanced protections on the job.

Tommy Blitsch, Director of the Teamsters Convention, Trade Show, and Casino Division, said management had misjudged the workforce. “Encore management has pushed our members to the brink because they thought they could take our labor for granted,” Blitsch said. “If Encore wants its casino running, it needs the workers who make it run. And the Teamsters are standing up and fighting back.”

James Atkins, a lead gardener and chief steward at Local 25, said workers had not sought a confrontation. “We make Encore a world-class resort that generates enormous profits because of our hard work,” Atkins said. “We didn’t want to strike but we won’t accept a contract that blatantly disrespects our labor.” He added that members were on the picket line and would stay out as long as it takes to secure a fair deal.

Revenue Figure and Negotiation History

The union anchored its wage argument in the property’s financial performance. Encore took in $847 million in Boston last year, the Teamsters said, citing Wynn Resorts’ filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The figure appears in both the September 4 strike announcement and the August 21 authorization statement, attributed each time to the company’s regulatory disclosures.

Thomas G. Mari, President of Local 25, accused Encore of slow-walking negotiations rather than bargaining seriously. He said the Teamsters do not cross picket lines and would not be intimidated.

The dispute had been building for weeks. In the August 21 statement, Blitsch said management’s failure to negotiate left the workers facing a strike, and that the standoff would end only with a fair agreement. In the same statement, Sem Avdic, a warehouse worker and Local 25 member, said employees took pride in their work and believed they deserved a contract that would let them provide for their families, adding that the workforce had not wanted a strike. Mari said at the time that Boston was a union town and asked residents to keep out of the resort while workers were on the sidewalk.

Resort Remains Open During Strike

Encore Boston Harbor continued to operate during the walkout. On a guest information page addressing the contract negotiations, the resort told visitors they could continue to enjoy everything the property offers while the company works toward an agreement with its union partners. The page confirms that the resort and its casino remain open, and it addresses guest questions about property access, restaurant and amenity availability, valet and self-parking, hotel reservations, and the status of the union contract.

The company said on the page that its team remained committed to guest service and hospitality during the negotiations. The resort’s homepage likewise tells visitors the property is open.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, founded in 1903, says it represents 1.3 million workers in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

As of September 4, 2026, union members were on the picket line outside the Everett resort, and the property remained open to guests while contract negotiations continued.