Fenway Park has seen a lot go down in its time. But even America’s Most Beloved Ballpark could be in for a first this weekend.
Hospitality workers at the ballpark and MGM Music Hall, represented by UNITE HERE Local 26, are poised to strike during the upcoming Red Sox home stand against the Los Angeles Dodgers if negotiations with food service and facilities management company Aramark fail to reach an agreement. The union announced their strike plan on Wednesday.
“We are here today to announce a 48-hour deadline to get this contract settled,” said Carlos Aramayo, president of UNITE HERE Local 26. “Aramark and Fenway Park have 48 hours to get this done. If this is not done by noon on Friday, we are walking the workers at Fenway Park and MGM off the job.”
Aramayo said the union will continue to discuss what to after the series in the event the matter is not resolved by then.
The three-game stretch at Fenway will run Friday to Sunday against a team with a consistently strong road presence.
Amanda Savage, one of the workers at Fenway, acknowledged that missing the Dodgers series will be hard for a lot of workers.
“Nobody wants to go on strike. That’s not anybody’s first choice,” Savage said. “We all want to work. People, in particular people who this is their only job, they’re gonna be hit really hard. But we’re all willing to do what we’ve got to do to get this contract done.”
Workers with the union have been without a contract since the end of last year and now seek a number of changes, including better wages and protections against automation.
Workers with UNITE HERE Local 26 voted last month to authorize a strike. They’re asking fans who attend the games to support workers by not buying any food or drinks inside of Fenway during the strike.
The union said Wednesday that it did not make significant progress in its latest bargaining session with Aramark last week.
“We are disappointed that the union chose to set a strike deadline, despite our ongoing willingness to bargain in good faith to reach an agreement that works for everyone,” Aramark said in a statement. “We are committed to delivering an outstanding fan experience. In the event of a strike, we have contingency plans in place to ensure that fans will not encounter service interruptions. We will continue to work with the union to try to reach an agreement.”
In an open letter addressed to Red Sox owner John Henry and Fenway Sports Group, UNITE HERE workers said they’re struggling to survive economically. They said that Aramark pays workers doing similar jobs at Boston University and other ballparks more money.
The letter called on Henry and leadership at FSG, including Sox president Sam Kennedy, to intervene.
“This isn’t just a labor issue. It’s a community issue. It’s about whether the people who serve the hot dogs, pour the beer, and welcome the fans can afford to keep living in the city we love,” the letter said. “It’s about ensuring Fenway Park continues to be a place of pride — not just for baseball, but for how it treats the people who make it special.”
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Red Sox said they continue to closely monitor the negotiations between the union and Aramark.
“While the Red Sox are not a party to these discussions, we are hopeful that a fair resolution can be agreed upon quickly,” the team’s statement said. “We remain in regular communication with Aramark and have been assured they are prepared with contingency plans to ensure the Fenway Park experience remains seamless for our fans during the weekend series.”
