Encore Boston Harbor Union Workers Schedule Strike Authorization Vote for Mid-August

Workers at Wynn Resorts’ Encore Boston Harbor casino in Everett, Massachusetts, representing 1,350 members from Unite Here Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25, have scheduled a vote for August 19-20 on authorizing a strike that would begin September 1 if current contracts expire without renewal on August 31; the unions seek wages above the existing $25 per hour minimum along with enhanced pension benefits, and they point to the property’s recent financial results that include nearly $847 million in total revenue and $236.7 million in adjusted EBITDA for 2025, a figure down 4.2 percent from the prior year.

Contract Timeline and Union Positions

The contracts covering these employees reach expiration at the end of August 2026, which places the August 19-20 authorization vote squarely in the final weeks before that deadline, and the unions have stated they will move to strike on September 1 if agreements on higher wages and improved pensions are not reached; observers note that the two locals together represent the full complement of 1,350 workers whose roles span food service, housekeeping, maintenance, and transportation positions at the waterfront property.

Union representatives have framed their proposals around the casino’s operating performance, citing the 2025 revenue total and the adjusted EBITDA number while acknowledging the modest year-over-year decline; they argue that these results provide room for compensation adjustments that exceed the current $25 hourly floor and strengthen retirement contributions, and they have scheduled member meetings in the days leading up to the vote to review details and collect ballots.

Financial Context for the Property

Encore Boston Harbor reported nearly $847 million in total revenue for 2025 alongside $236.7 million in adjusted EBITDA, a result that reflects a 4.2 percent drop from 2024 yet still demonstrates substantial cash generation at the Massachusetts location; company filings show the property continues to draw consistent visitation from the Boston metropolitan area and regional tourists, supporting the scale of operations that employ the 1,350 union members now preparing to vote.

Data from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission indicates the casino maintains one of the larger footprints among the state’s three licensed resort properties, and the revenue figure places it among the stronger performers in the New England market even after the recorded dip; union materials distributed ahead of the August vote reference these same numbers as evidence that contract improvements remain feasible within current margins.

Negotiation Process and Next Steps

Bargaining sessions between the unions and Wynn Resorts management have continued through the summer of 2026, yet no tentative agreement had been announced by early August, which prompted the locals to move forward with the authorization vote; under standard labor procedures, a successful strike authorization allows union leadership to call a work stoppage without further member balloting, and the September 1 date serves as the first possible start for any action if talks stall.

Both Unite Here Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 have coordinated messaging that emphasizes wage progression beyond the $25 hourly minimum and pension enhancements that address long-term retirement security for members who have worked at the property since its 2018 opening; management has not released public counter-proposals at this stage, while the unions continue to schedule informational sessions at union halls and worksite locations ahead of the two-day vote.

Broader Industry Patterns

Similar contract cycles at other large casino resorts have produced extended negotiations when revenue figures remain elevated, and the Encore Boston Harbor situation follows that pattern with workers citing the 2025 financial results as justification for their demands; the 4.2 percent EBITDA decline has not altered the unions’ stance, and they continue to present the absolute revenue and profit numbers as benchmarks for what the property can sustain in new agreements.

State labor records show that Massachusetts casino properties have maintained steady employment levels despite periodic shifts in visitor spending, and the 1,350 workers at Encore represent a significant share of the property’s total staff; the upcoming vote therefore carries weight for both sides as they navigate the final weeks before the August 31 contract expiration.

Conclusion

The August 19-20 strike authorization vote at Encore Boston Harbor will determine whether the 1,350 union members proceed toward a potential September 1 work stoppage if wage and pension terms remain unresolved; the financial data released for 2025 continues to anchor both sides’ positions while the clock advances toward the contract deadline, and the outcome of the mid-August ballots will shape the immediate trajectory of labor relations at the Everett property.