Fenway Park concession workers on strike for first time in 113 years
Concession workers had set a deadline of noon Friday for Aramark and Fenway Park to reach an agreement with the Local 26 chapter of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island hotel, casino, airport and food services workers union. The walkout, which union leaders say is the first in Fenway Park's 113-year history, follows more than a year of contract negotiations and months of escalating frustration over pay, job security and automation.
In addition to higher wages, one of the biggest sticking points has been the rise of self-service machines that Aramark installed at Fenway in 2023. The company added six Mashgin units – AI-powered kiosks that dispense beer and popcorn without the need for human staff – and Local 26 members say the machines threaten to erode the fan experience and replace workers altogether. Similar technology has already spread to 20 of the 30 ballparks across Major League Baseball and thousands of other venues nationwide.
US senator Bernie Sanders, who spoke with union members during a recent Zoom call, weighed in with a public letter to Aramark CEO John Zillmer and Red Sox principal owner John Henry, urging them to support 'living wages' and 'human interaction' at the ballpark. 'If Aramark can afford to pay you $18.7 million in compensation and provide nearly $100 million in dividends for your wealthy shareholders,' Sanders wrote to Zillmer, 'it can afford to pay all of your workers a living wage and not threaten to take away their jobs and their income with faceless Mashgin touchscreen computers.'
With no deal reached by the deadline, the union went on strike at noon on Friday, rallying behind demands for 'living wages, guardrails on technology and R-E-S-P-E-C-T!'
The most recent bargaining session between Aramark and the union took place last Tuesday, but the two sides remain far apart on key issues. In a statement, Aramark expressed disappointment over the strike and said it had 'contingency plans in place to ensure that fans will not encounter service interruptions'. The company added it remained willing to bargain in good faith.
With the Red Sox and Dodgers scheduled to start at 7.10pm local time, union officials had a message for fans attending this high-profile series: 'We're asking you to NOT buy concessions inside the ballpark,' Local 26 wrote on social media. 'Tailgate before the games!'
Union workers walked the picket line outside Fenway wearing green T-shirts that read 'FENWAY WORKERS ON STRIKE' and carried signs shaped like baseballs bearing the Local 26 logo.
Because concession work at Fenway is seasonal, union leaders acknowledged that a prolonged indefinite strike would pose hardships for many part-time workers. For now, the plan is to remain off the job through the weekend. The Red Sox head out of town Monday for a three-game road trip in Minnesota, before returning for a six-game homestand in August.
In an open letter this week, Local 26 called on Henry and Fenway Sports Group to step in and pressure Aramark to deliver 'reasonable proposals' that reflect the workers' value. 'Mr Henry, Fenway Park is your house,' the letter said. 'We're asking you … to intervene.'
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