PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Aramark union workers plan to strike at all three stadiums at the Philadelphia Sports Complex starting Monday.
This includes Wells Fargo Center, Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field.
Leaders of Philadelphia’s food service workers union, Unite Here Local 274, said picket lines were expected to form before dawn and grow throughout the day.
Those on the picket line include cooks, servers, bartenders, dishwashers, concession workers, janitors, retail workers and warehouse workers employed by Aramark.
This comes after all Aramark employees at Wells Fargo Center, Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field voted to authorize a strike.
Union leaders say workers want company officials to give them higher wages and year-round health care benefits so they can support their families.
The union also previously said different rules and pay rates apply at each of the three stadiums, despite similar jobs with the same employer.
Strike organizers also noted that the decision came after Mayor Sherrell Parker reached an agreement with the 76ers to build a new arena in Center City.
“Before we can even discuss building a new arena, we need to make sure the food and beverage jobs at the stadium are good jobs,” Aramark concession worker Tiffany Davis said in a statement.
Despite the strike, union officials asked fans to continue enjoying events at the Philadelphia Sports Complex, but to boycott purchasing food and beverages at Aramark. The union suggested fans hold tailgate parties instead.
Aramark released the following statement in response to the upcoming strikes:
“Aramark has been negotiating in good faith with UNITE HERE Local 274 for over six months. It has been five weeks since the union rejected our proposal, and they have chosen to strike without making any substantive changes to their position. They have continued their counterproductive tactics, choosing to strike again and continuing to call for a boycott of Aramark’s services.
We value our employees and are proud of the wage increases we’ve provided over the past five years. In fact, the average total earnings, including wages and tips, for this group of employees has increased 61% over the past five years.
Aramark also continues to propose expanded benefits as part of its ongoing negotiations with the union. In its previous proposal, Aramark agreed to two of the union’s benefit eligibility demands: (1) to count hours worked at all three Philadelphia Sports Complex locations, and (2) to remove the cap on the number of eligible participants. As a result, all employees who work approximately 28 hours per week per year at any of these locations will be able to receive medical, dental, vision and short-term disability benefits.
Strikes hit employees the hardest. During the last strike at the Wells Fargo Center in April 2024, hundreds of employees crossed the picket lines and decided not to join the strike, instead continuing to work their regular shifts. We want to thank them again for their dedication and commitment to the 76ers and their amazing fans.
Going forward, we intend to continue negotiating in good faith for the benefit of all involved, and we sincerely hope that the union will do the same. In the meantime, we have contingency plans in place for any future strike action and remain focused on delivering a quality experience for our guests and fans.”
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