Notes: Aramark uses Fenway scabs, Philles-Manfred meeting gets ‘heated’

Local 26 struck, Aramark scabbed, while Manfred goes to Philly.

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Fenway workers strike, but that doesn’t stop Aramark

On Friday, UNITE HERE Local 26 and Aramark failed to reach an agreement before the noon deadline, and the union went on strike as promised. This means that Fenway Park’s concession workers stood outside of the stadium rather than within it, making their demands known to attendees as they headed toward the stadium.

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Notes: Dodgers and ICE, Fenway workers authorize a strike

The Dodgers finally speak up on what’s going on in their city, and Fenway’s workers authorized a strike.

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It’s like Lenin used to say: there are decades where nothing happens, and then there are weeks where for some reason a whole bunch of stories I can cover in this space happen one after the other. Let’s get to a couple of those today and hit the rest next time around.

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Notes: Cubs’ concessioners, Manfred on Royals’ ballpark, Angels’ land deal

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The Cubs and White Sox might split the attention and allegiances of Chicago’s people, but UNITE HERE Local 1 workers at their two home parks are united in their labor. Concessions from Guaranteed Rate Field showed up at Wrigley on August 15 to show support for their crosstown cousins, who are currently negotiating a new contract with the concessionaire, Levy: the bargaining process has been going on for a year now, meaning Wrigley’s concessioners have been working without a new contract this whole time.

And that matters, too, since, as this piece at FOX 32 Chicago tells it, there’s a $5 gap between what entry-level workers make at Guaranteed Rate Field compared to Wrigley: the difference is because the White Sox’ concessioners recently reached a new contract with their concessionaire, Delaware North.

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After authorizing All-Star Game strike, Dodger Stadium workers get new contract

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Recall this summer, when Dodger Stadium concession workers authorized a strike shortly before the 2022 MLB All-Star Game was held at that venue? It was a well-timed threat, and, due to UNITE HERE’s history of following through on such threats, one that was heeded immediately. The All-Star Game went on as planned, because the concessionaire these workers were employed by, Compass/Levy, agreed to listen to their demands after the strike was authorized.

While few details were released at the time in regards to what exactly the strike threat was aiming to achieve other than to get Compass/Levy to go back to the bargaining table — Los Angeles’ UNITE branch did not release specifics this time around like their Bay Area counterparts did at Oracle Park before the 2021 postseason — a new contract has been signed, and now we have a sense of some of what it was they were fighting for.

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