More than 1,300 Encore Boston Harbor workers returned to the Everett casino Friday, Nov. 6, after ratifying a new contract Thursday night that ends a strike that began Sept. 4, WBUR reported, citing State House News Service. The workers are represented by Teamsters Local 25 and UNITE HERE Local 26, and the Teamsters said members approved a five-and-a-half-year agreement by an overwhelming margin.
Related: Encore Boston Harbor Strike Cuts Casino Revenue 22% in September.
What we know
The two unions announced on Thursday, Nov. 5, that they had reached a new contract with the casino, Boston 25 News reported that evening. The ratification vote came the same day Wynn Resorts, which owns the casino, reported third-quarter results, according to Hotel Dive.
On the earnings call, Wynn CEO Craig Billings said the company had reached a “framework for resolution with union leadership,” Hotel Dive reported. He also said the strike had been a modest headwind for the company in the quarter.
The workers’ previous contract expired Aug. 31, according to WBUR. The striking employees included housekeepers, cooks, servers, bartenders, slot attendants and warehouse workers, WBUR reported. The Teamsters said their share of the bargaining unit includes 211 members who work in departments such as the warehouse, cage cashier, valet and the call center.
What is in the contract, and what is not public
The Teamsters said the contract includes significant wage increases, enhanced benefits and improved working conditions. A spokesperson for the workers, Seth Ogilvie, said the deal secures “significant raises that meet the Boston standard,” preserves health care and adds job security agreements, according to WBUR.
Neither side has released specific wage figures. Hotel Dive reported that the terms of the agreement were undisclosed. The Boston Report will update this story if the unions or Wynn publish the contract terms.
What the strike cost the casino
Encore’s gross gaming revenue fell to about $46.1 million in September, roughly 22% below the $59.1 million it posted in September 2025, according to Massachusetts Gaming Commission data cited by WBUR. WBUR said it was the casino’s lowest monthly total since February 2021. Encore is the largest of the state’s three casinos and pays a 25% tax on gross gaming revenue, WBUR reported.
The Teamsters, citing Wynn’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Encore generated $847 million last year.
How long the strike lasted
Sources count the strike’s length differently. WBUR called it a 63-day strike, counting through the workers’ return on Friday. The Teamsters described “62 days on the picket line,” which runs through Thursday’s ratification vote. The strike began Sept. 4 in both accounts.
What the unions and Wynn said
Teamsters Local 25 President Thomas G. Mari called the outcome a show of solidarity. “This is what union solidarity looks like,” Mari said in the Teamsters’ statement. UNITE HERE Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo said, “Now they go back in as partners with Encore Boston Harbor,” according to Boston 25 News.
A Wynn Resorts spokesperson, Ryan Jelniker, said the company was pleased to reach an agreement that works for its employees and the casino’s long-term future, WBUR reported.
What happens next
Workers were back on the job Friday morning, WBUR reported. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission publishes monthly revenue figures for each casino, and its October and November reports will be the first to show how the casino performed as the strike ended. For more Greater Boston business coverage, see Boston business news and the Business News hub.
Sources
- WBUR (State House News Service): Encore casino strike ends with new contract; workers returned Friday
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters: Casino Teamsters Win Strike at Encore Boston Harbor
- Boston 25 News: Encore Boston workers reach new contract, end strike
- Hotel Dive: Wynn reaches deal with striking Boston union workers, posts Q3 results
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