Fenway Park Strike Kicks Off During Red Sox vs. Dodgers Weekend
Hey, did you hear what’s happening at Fenway Park this weekend? It’s kind of a big deal, especially with the Red Sox hosting the reigning World Series champs, the L.A. Dodgers. But the drama isn’t just on the field—it’s happening in the stands too. For the first time in Fenway’s 113-year history, the concession workers have gone on strike.
So here’s the story: the folks who serve your beer, hot dogs, and pretzels—the cooks, cashiers, barbacks, and vendors—walked off the job Friday. These workers are part of the UNITE HERE Local 26 union, and their contract with Aramark, the company that runs concessions at Fenway and the nearby MGM Music Hall, expired about seven months ago. They’ve been pushing for better pay, fairer schedules that respect seniority, more tips for premium staff, and some guardrails around automation—basically, making sure robots don’t replace them.
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Negotiations hit a wall. The union had set a deadline for noon Friday to reach a deal, but nothing came through. So now, as fans pour into Fenway to catch one of the season’s most anticipated matchups, picket lines are up around the ballpark. And while the Red Sox say they’re not involved in the contract talks, they’re keeping a close eye on things.
Aramark, for its part, says it’s been bargaining in good faith and that it had even made a new offer Thursday night, but it was turned down. Still, they’re trying to keep everything running smoothly with backup staff, saying fans shouldn’t notice any difference in service. The Red Sox echoed that—basically saying, hey, it’s business as usual in the stands. But the union? They’re asking fans to support their cause by skipping the snacks and drinks this weekend.
Union reps are emphasizing this isn’t an attack on the team or the fans. As Carlos Aramayo, the union president, put it—this is about standing up to a concessionaire that’s trying to cut corners and underpay workers, not about ruining the game-day experience. He even joked that what makes Fenway special is getting a cold Sam Adams from a guy with a Boston accent, not a robot arm.
So yeah, the game’s on, the Dodgers are in town, and the Sox are playing hard—but the real fight might be just outside the ballpark gates. And it’s not just about peanuts and Cracker Jack anymore.
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