Strike at Encore Boston Harbor Nears 50 Days

The strike at the Encore Boston Harbor casino in Massachusetts is nearing its 50th day. Roughly 1,300 workers represented by Teamsters Local 25 and UNITE HERE Local 26 have walked off the job. Both sides agree the strike should end as soon as possible, but they blame each other for the failure to reach a contract.

According to data published by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the facility's casino revenue for September fell 22 percent from the same period last year, to 46 million dollars. The unions interpret this as customers not wanting to cross the picket line at a facility where workers are not providing service, and operations being disrupted.

Teamsters Local 25 President Tom Mari said a profitable casino cannot operate without the labor of its workers. Mari said the unions are fighting for a fair contract they deserve. According to the unions, the offer Wynn management presented in September fell well short of what they describe as the "Boston standard."

A Wynn Resorts spokesperson said the company presented a "significant economic offer" in September and has been waiting for a response from the unions for more than a month. The company said it wants to reach an agreement and does not want its workers on the picket line at all. Wynn also said the average annual wage and benefits for the unionized workers is about 96 thousand dollars.