Encore Boston Harbor Faces Union Vote on Strike Authorization Amid Contract Talks
Union members representing 1,350 workers at Encore Boston Harbor have scheduled a vote for August 19 and 20 to decide whether to authorize a strike beginning September 1 if current contracts expire without new agreements. The contracts covering employees from Unite Here Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 reach their end date on August 31, and the unions have tied any extension to increases above the existing $25 per hour minimum wage along with strengthened pension provisions.
Details of the Planned Authorization Process
Workers will cast ballots over those two days in a process that determines whether leadership gains the ability to call a work stoppage, though a yes vote does not automatically trigger action on the first of September. Negotiators continue discussions in the background, and the property's parent company, Wynn Resorts, has received formal notice of the timeline. The vote itself follows standard procedures under labor law where members weigh the strength of their position against the financial performance figures released for the most recent full year.
Revenue at the Everett property reached nearly $847 million in 2025 while adjusted EBITDA stood at $236.7 million, a figure that declined 4.2 percent compared with the prior year. Union representatives have pointed to these totals when presenting their case for improved compensation terms, noting that the numbers reflect sustained visitor traffic and gaming volume even after the slight pullback in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.
Contract Demands and Current Wage Baseline
The minimum hourly rate currently sits at $25, and union proposals seek amounts above that threshold plus enhancements to retirement benefits. Teamsters Local 25 covers roles that include transportation and warehouse functions while Unite Here Local 26 represents food service, housekeeping, and guest-facing positions. Both locals have coordinated their timelines so that a single authorization vote covers the combined membership, streamlining the decision process ahead of the September deadline.
Contract language also addresses scheduling predictability and workload distribution, yet the public statements released so far center on wage progression and pension funding as the primary sticking points. Management has not issued detailed counter-proposals in public forums, leaving observers to track developments through the upcoming ballot results.
Financial Context Behind the Negotiations
The 2025 results that unions reference come from operations that include table games, slot machines, hotel rooms, and multiple dining outlets on the waterfront site in Everett. Although adjusted EBITDA slipped 4.2 percent year over year, total revenue remained close to the prior peak, which union negotiators interpret as evidence that the property can absorb higher labor costs without jeopardizing viability. Company filings and earnings releases provide the raw data, and those documents show consistent cash generation even after the modest contraction.
Analysts who follow regional gaming markets note that Massachusetts properties compete with facilities in neighboring states, yet Encore Boston Harbor maintains strong occupancy and win-per-unit metrics that support the unions' argument during talks. The vote scheduled for mid-August therefore occurs against a backdrop of steady, if slightly softer, profitability rather than outright losses.
Next Steps if Authorization Passes
Should members approve strike authority, the unions gain flexibility to set a work stoppage date after August 31 once the existing agreements lapse. No immediate action is required, and further bargaining sessions could still produce a deal before any disruption occurs. Labor experts point out that authorization votes often serve as leverage rather than direct signals of imminent shutdowns, allowing both sides to continue conversations with clearer deadlines in place.
The Everett location opened several years ago and has since become one of the larger employers in the metro Boston area, which adds visibility to any potential labor action. Community stakeholders and local officials have not issued formal statements yet, though the timing of the vote places developments squarely in the public eye during the final weeks of summer.
Conclusion
The August 19-20 vote at Encore Boston Harbor will clarify whether the 1,350 represented workers are prepared to withhold labor starting September 1 in pursuit of wage gains above $25 per hour and pension improvements. Revenue of nearly $847 million and adjusted EBITDA of $236.7 million for 2025 provide the numerical backdrop for those demands, while the slight 4.2 percent decline from 2024 offers context on recent performance. Contract talks continue in parallel with the ballot process, and the outcome will determine whether negotiations intensify or proceed without the immediate threat of a stoppage once the current agreements expire on August 31.