About 700 concessions staff at Wrigley Field may stroll off the job at any time after an “overwhelming majority” voted to authorize a strike, mentioned their union, Unite Here Local 1.
The concessions staff embrace bartenders, cashiers, cooks, dishwashers and different meals service staff on the North Side ballpark who’re employed by Chicago-based meals service supplier Levy. The staff are employed in stationary concessions stands and suites within the ballpark; distributors who work within the stands are usually not unionized with Unite Here.
The strike vote comes forward of the ultimate dwelling weekend of the Cubs’ common season. The workforce is scheduled to play a three-game sequence towards the Colorado Rockies this weekend, with video games scheduled Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The concessions staff’ contract expired in October 2020, mentioned Unite Here, which introduced the outcomes of the strike vote late Thursday.
Some concessions staff make town minimal wage of $15.80 an hour, the native mentioned. They are in search of a wage ground of $20 an hour, expanded well being care protection and a pension.
In an announcement, Levy mentioned the corporate was “baffled” by the strike vote, which it mentioned “prevents team members from immediately benefiting from the significantly increased wages and benefits that we have proposed.”
Levy mentioned its proposal included wage will increase of as much as 30%, a $20 per hour wage ground for nontipped staff and a tip assure for tipped staff. The firm additionally mentioned it had provided “significantly expanded” well being protection and enhanced advantages, equivalent to a rise in its 401(okay) match.
“Should a strike occur, plans are in place to continue food and beverage service,” Levy mentioned in an announcement.
Carlos Aguirre, who works serving meals and drinks to followers in ballpark suites, mentioned he makes $19 an hour, plus ideas, after working on the ballpark for 27 years. Many of his co-workers make town minimal wage, he mentioned, and none have obtained a increase for 3 years.
Aguirre, who voted to strike, mentioned he receives medical health insurance for six months of the yr, however loses his protection through the different half of the yr. When the baseball season is over, he has to pay for his blood stress treatment out of pocket, he mentioned.
“We will keep fighting until we get our contract signed,” Aguirre mentioned.
Levy, which operates at sports activities and leisure venues across the nation together with at Guaranteed Rate Field and the United Center, mentioned in a letter to concessions staff in early August it had met with the union in additional than 17 bargaining periods.
“We have met, or made significant movement on, every ask the Union has made that would directly benefit you,” the corporate wrote.
Levy mentioned it had not agreed to contribute to Unite Here’s pension plan, which it mentioned remained a sticking level between the corporate and the union. Its proposal included ratification bonuses and retroactive wage will increase, in response to info shared with staff.
Unite Here, which additionally represents concessions staff employed by Levy on the United Center and concessions staff employed by meals service and hospitality firm Delaware North at Guaranteed Rate Field, mentioned Levy’s proposal was “less than what was agreed to at the United Center and Guaranteed Rate Field in a number of areas.”
Delaware North settled a contract with concessions staff earlier this yr, in response to the union; Levy settled a contract with United Center concessions staff after a one-day strike in March.
“Compass Levy workers at Wrigley Field are seeking the same standards that concessions workers at the United Center and Guaranteed Rate Field have,” mentioned Dan Abraham, organizing director for the native.
The ballpark strike vote comes after about 650 concessions staff on the United Center went on strike for a day over what staff described as wages as little as town minimal for some staff and inconsistent entry to well being care. Similarly to staff at Wrigley Field, some United Center staff described accessing medical health insurance for under parts of the yr.
In January, 98% of the United Center concessions staff voted to authorize a strike; the employees walked out throughout a Bulls dwelling sport days forward of the Big Ten males’s basketball event.
Unite Here reached a tentative settlement with Levy after the strike, which concessions staff ratified, in response to the union. Local 1 mentioned the contract included instant raises of as much as $4.50 an hour, in addition to a year-round well being care settlement that may cowl “hundreds” of further staff.
Some concessions staff who work on the United Center within the winter additionally work at Wrigley Field through the baseball season, mentioned Sarah Lyons, a spokesperson for Unite Here Local 1.
In August, Unite Here filed an unfair labor apply cost towards Levy alleging the meals service supplier had threatened to retaliate towards staff who had joined or supported a union. The cost stays underneath investigation by native National Labor Relations Board officers. Levy declined to touch upon the continuing authorized matter.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com