Fenway Park Employees Set 48-Hour Strike Warning Against Aramark
In a significant turn of events, the strike by concession workers at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, came to an end late on Sunday, July 27, 2025. However, the union's bargaining committee may decide to resume the picket line in the coming days.
The key issues causing the dispute include demands for better wages—current pay is reported to be under $20 an hour, approximately $10 less than the citywide standard for similar jobs. Another significant issue is opposition to the increased use of automated self-service machines and tablets, which workers feel would make Fenway Park resemble a fast food restaurant and reduce the need for human labor. Workers want to preserve a traditional, personal service culture rather than having "robots" or automated devices replace staff handing out food and drinks.
Aramark, the food and beverage provider at Fenway Park, has not made any new proposals to the union that recognize the value and role of concession workers in making Fenway Park thrive. The company and the Red Sox have contingency plans to deliver a full fan experience despite the strike, including deployment of replacement workers during the labor stoppage.
The union, Unite Here Local 26, authorized a strike on June 15 that could be called at any point during the MLB season. During the strike, fans experienced longer lines, fewer stations, and service issues. Political figures such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Chris Murphy have publicly supported the concession workers, highlighting issues of living wages and calling on the Red Sox ownership to treat workers more fairly.
The upcoming series against the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers is still at risk of being disrupted by the strike. The team's valuation includes a $5.22 billion valuation for the team itself and $810 million for team-related business and real estate, including Fenway Park.
The union's main concerns extend beyond wages, as they also oppose the increased use of automated self-service machines. In 2023, Aramark installed six self-checkout units and four self-checkout popcorn stations at Fenway Park. Mashgin, the company that provides the self-service machines, has deployed them at 20 of the 30 MLB ballparks, at least 120 sports venues, at least 100 hospitals, and more than 3,000 convenience stores.
During the 2024 season, Mashgin's machines delivered a median transaction time of under 15 seconds across over 3.6 million transactions and $88 million in concession sales. Despite these efficiency gains, the union maintains that automation should not replace human roles.
The union stated that a sustained indefinite strike would present too many obstacles for part-time workers, but there are no definitive dates for the next potential strike if union members are off for the full Dodgers series.
Senator Bernie Sanders wrote a scathing letter to Aramark CEO John J. Zillmer and Red Sox owner John Henry about the valuations of both the company and team, and the concern over the self-checkout units. He urged the owners to pay workers a living wage and not replace them with self-service machines.
This disagreement underscores tensions over automation and fair pay in a high-profile sports venue. As the future of the strike remains uncertain, both sides continue to negotiate, hoping to find a resolution that satisfies both the workers and the management.
- The labor dispute at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, involves demands for higher wages, currently around $20 an hour, which is significantly lesser than the citywide standard for similar jobs.
- The union, Unite Here Local 26, is also concerned about the increased use of automated self-service machines, fearing that it may reduce the need for human labor and alter the traditional, personal service culture.
- Aramark, the food and beverage provider at Fenway Park, has not presented any proposals that acknowledge the value of concession workers in maintaining the thriving environment of Fenway Park.
- Technology company Mashgin, which provides the self-service machines used in Fenway Park, has deployed them at over 120 sports venues, 100 hospitals, and more than 3,000 convenience stores.
- The Red Sox administration and Aramark have contingency plans in place to ensure a full fan experience during the strike, including the deployment of replacement workers.
- Senator Bernie Sanders has publicly supported the concession workers and written a letter to Aramark CEO John J. Zillmer and Red Sox owner John Henry, expressing concerns about the self-checkout units and the need for a living wage.
- The union's concerns extend beyond the ongoing strike, with the future of automation and fair pay in high-profile sports venues being a significant point of contention as negotiations between the union and management continue.
