Fenway concession workers could walk off the job for the first time. Here's why
Workers at Fenway Park and MGM Music Hall represented by the Unite Here Local 26 union are planning a strike vote in June to advocate for higher wages.
The hospitality workers union, which represents over 1,000 Aramark workers at the two venues, will host a strike authorization vote from June 13th to 15th, it said.
Workers in the union include beer sellers, cashiers, cooks, servers, souvenir vendors and others, according to the union. The union is negotiating a new contract with Aramark, after the previous contract expired at the end of 2024.
The union said it began bargaining with Aramark, the food service and facilities management company that employs the workers, earlier this year.
'Both parties are far apart on reaching agreement,' the union said.
Aramark did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Unite Here Local 26 is the same union that represented hundreds of hotel workers who went on strike last year.
Should the workers vote to authorize a strike and proceed with one, it will be the first time concession workers at Fenway Park strike, according to the union.
A strike authorization vote is a standard union process required before a strike can be called. Strike authorizations do not necessarily mean a strike will take place. A tentative date has not been given.
The union said the workers earn less than $20 dollars an hour, and want more competitive wages that better line up with the cost of living in Boston. The union also said that increased automation at certain concessions, including the beer stands, is taking away jobs and decreasing earnings.
'Red Sox fans come to Fenway not just to enjoy the games and watch the athletes. They return year after year and they look for the server who gave them great service and made their experience at the ballpark a memorable one. It's a personal connection,' Carlos Aramayo, president of UNITE HERE Local 26 said in a statement. 'These workers should be paid well, in line with the citywide standard, and they should not have to worry about losing their jobs to technology.'
Fall River woman sentenced to prison for stealing child's Social Security benefits
Whip City Fiber schedules information for residents on Wednesday to learn about town-owned gigabit internet service
Harvard amends lawsuit against Trump admin following $450 million cut
Longtime restaurant in Boston suburb permanently closing this month
77-year-old woman seriously hurt in crash at Cape Cod grocery store parking lot
Read the original article on MassLive.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
16 minutes ago
- CNN
Social Security is making it harder for seniors to do routine tasks by phone in latest anti-fraud effort
FacebookTweetLink Senior citizens soon won't be able to simply call the Social Security Administration to change their address or check the status of their benefit claim. Instead, they will have to first verify their identity online or go to a field office if they are unable to do so. In its latest effort to thwart fraud, the agency is expanding its online authentication requirement for address changes, claim status requests, benefit verification letters and tax statements, according to a regulatory filing Social Security recently submitted to the Office of Management and Budget. The agency intends to implement the change by August 18. Advocacy groups, however, are raising concerns that many senior citizens and people with disabilities will not be able to complete the verification process through their mySocialSecurity accounts. The agency said in the filing that it expects 3.4 million people will need to go to field offices annually to complete the tasks. 'For many older Americans, the phone is how they access Social Security services without having to rely on complicated technology or long, difficult, or costly trips to field offices,' Nancy LeaMond, AARP's chief advocacy and engagement officer, wrote in a letter Tuesday to Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano. 'We are concerned that under this new policy, older Americans, especially those in rural areas, will have to call, wait on hold for possibly hours, and then wait weeks for an appointment — and in some cases even take time off work — to complete simple transactions they have long been able to do over the phone,' she wrote, urging the commissioner to reconsider the measure. It currently takes 35 days to get an appointment at a Social Security field office, according to the agency, which has been reducing staff amid a major reorganization. The new policy is the agency's latest controversial attempt to combat fraud, spurred by the Trump administration. Prior efforts sparked widespread confusion among beneficiaries, who flocked to Social Security's 800 number or field offices, fearing they had to prove their identities in order to continue receiving their monthly payments. Social Security had to walk back a measure instituted this spring to review retirement benefit applications for fraud after the process created a backlog and flagged only a tiny number of claims for additional verification. But the agency retained an initiative that bars beneficiaries from changing their direct deposit information by telephone, requiring that they do so through their online accounts or at field offices. That policy is expected to send an additional 1.9 million people to field offices annually. There is no documentation that requesting address changes and other routine tasks over the phone leads to fraud, said Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 'There's just no evidence that this is a problem,' said Romig, who worked for the agency during the Biden administration. The new anti-fraud policies will increase field visits by 17%, requiring beneficiaries to spend 3 million hours driving to offices to complete their transactions, she estimated. The latest effort also aligns with Bisignano's push to have more beneficiaries use the agency's online services to handle their requests. All the tasks that require added verification can be done through mySocialSecurity. Social Security did not return a request for comment on the regulatory filing.
Health Line
an hour ago
- Health Line
Medicare Billing: Why Is My First Bill So High?
If your first Medicare bill is higher than expected, it could be due to the number of months the bill covers, late enrollment penalties, or because you earn above a certain amount and must pay a surcharge. You may not often receive high cost Medicare premium bills, as the federal government covers many of the plan costs. But the costs when you first enroll with Medicare could be higher than expected for a number of reasons. Medicare billing Original Medicare comprises Part A, which covers inpatient care, and Part B, which covers outpatient medical services. Depending on your working history, you may be eligible for premium-free Part A services, so Medicare would not need to send a bill for this Part. People who do not qualify for premium-free Part A will receive a bill every month. Part B premiums are typically deducted from your Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits. Those who do not receive these benefits will receive a Part B bill every 3 months. You may find your first Medicare bill to be higher than expected due to the following reasons. Your first bill may cover a longer period If you pay for Part B only, you'll receive a bill every 3 months. And because of this, it will include 3 months' worth of premiums. The bill may also include a further 3 months, as you pay for them in advance. First bill example You enroll with Medicare in February, and your coverage begins on February 1st. Medicare bills its premiums quarterly, so the first bill would be dated the end of March. Premiums would cover February 1 through April 30. (February, March, and April) It would also include the following 3 months of May, June, and July. Medicare has billed for a total of 6 months. After this, you'd only receive a bill for 3 months' worth of premiums, and you can check your billing dates to ensure they're correct. IRMAA surcharge If your income is higher than a specific amount, you may have to pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA). Medicare adds this additional surcharge to the base Part B and Part D premiums. An IRMAA is based on your reported income from your tax return 2 years prior. For example, your 2025 IRMAA would be decided by your reported income from 2023. You'll receive a notification from Social Security if you have to pay an IRMAA surcharge. Late enrollment penalty You typically become eligible for Medicare when you turn age 65, and your initial enrollment period (IEP) runs for 7 months. The IEP begins 3 months before you turn age 65, continues throughout your birth month, and ends 3 months later. If you do not enroll during your IEP, or one of the other Medicare enrollment periods, and do not have alternative creditable coverage, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty. The Part A late enrollment penalty If you pay a Part A premium but did not enroll during your IEP, you may have to pay a 10% penalty, which is added to your premium for twice the number of years you delayed enrollment. For example, if you waited 1 year to enroll and did not have alternative creditable coverage, you'd pay 10% more for 2 years. The Part B late enrollment penalty The Part B late enrollment penalty is added to your Part B premium and will apply for as long as you have Medicare. The penalty is an extra 10% of the Part B premium for each year you did not enroll when you could have. For example, if you do not enroll for 2 years, you'll pay 20% of the Part B premium in the year you enroll, which in 2025 would be 20% of $185. The Part D late enrollment penalty Part D prescription drug plans cover take-home prescription medications. Private insurers administer these plans. And while the premium costs can vary by insurer, the penalty will apply to the national base beneficiary premium. You'll pay a 1% penalty for each month you were eligible for Part D prescription drug coverage but did not enroll, and the following apply: You did not enroll in a Part D plan when you were first eligible. You went without creditable coverage for 63 days or more. The Part D penalty is added to your monthly bill and will remain in place for as long as you have the plan. It's important to enroll in Medicare when you're first eligible. And ensure you have suitable alternative coverage to avoid late enrollment penalties. Paying your Medicare bill If your Medicare premiums are not automatically deducted from your Social Security checks, you can pay your premiums: online, though your Medicare account through Medicare Easy Pay through your bank account through the mail, by completing the coupon that came with your bill and returning it to: Medicare Premium Collection Center PO Box 790355 St. Louis, MO 63179-0355 Takeaway Your first Medicare bill may be higher than expected for a number of reasons. Depending on when you enrolled, the bill may cover a longer period, there could be late enrollment penalties, or there may be an income-related surcharge. If you have questions about Medicare billing, you can contact Medicare at 800-633-4227 (TTY: 877-486-2048) or via the Medicare website. The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.
Axios
3 hours ago
- Axios
It's the summer of strikes in Boston as unions embrace work stoppages
Three notable work stoppages have captured headlines this summer: the Republic Services waste removal strike, Fenway Park vendors' picket and bar advocates walking off the job over a wage dispute. Why it matters: Organized labor in Massachusetts and across the country is more willing to take direct action as the economy fluctuates and the cost of living puts pressure on workers. Driving the news: Multiple unions are taking hardline positions on automation, wages and benefits, potentially influencing future negotiations regionwide. They've been spurred on by successful strikes last year that saw hotel workers win concessions from owners. The hotel workers' local, UNITE HERE Local 26, is the same union behind the Fenway Park action. What they're saying: "Our union members have found courage, even at a time they know it's going to get worse," Greater Boston Labor Council president Darlene Lombos told Axios. Lombos said "there's something special about this moment in history," as economic pressure and federal policies make it harder for working people, yet unions are rallying to support strikes. Lombos said unions are finding "the courage and bravery to step out when we know that things are hard and are going to get harder." Catch up quick: Waste collector Republic Services and the national Teamsters have been at a standoff over wages. That hit home July 1 when 450 local workers went on strike and disrupted normal trash collection for 14 municipalities and countless apartment buildings, restaurants and other businesses. And there's history being made at Fenway Park, but it's not because of the Red Sox. For the first time in the park's 113-year history, concession and restaurant workers struck over the weekend during the Red Sox-Dodgers series before suspending the strike while still in negotiations. Lawyers who defend indigent clients are demanding more pay from the state and walked off the job this summer, leading to hundreds of cases being dismissed because of the lack of representation. The intrigue: Labor tensions are also allegedly at the heart of the Market Basket management fervor, with board members accusing ousted CEO Arthur T. Demoulas of supporting a worker revolt at his own company of 90-plus New England locations. What's next: The waste collectors, Fenway vendors and bar advocates are all still in negotiations while their work stoppages continue.
