Fenway Park concession workers go on strike before Red Sox' weekend games

[Omaha Steve]

Source: NBC Boston

Friday's Boston Red Sox-L.A. Dodgers game went on as scheduled, but the striking union asked fans who were attending to avoid buying concessions.

By Munashe Kwangwari, Asher Klein and Eli Rosenberg • Published July 25, 2025 • Updated 4 hours ago

Concession workers at Boston's Fenway Park and nearby MGM Music Hall have begun a strike, with no last-minute deal reached in their negotiations with Aramark.

UNITE HERE Local 26 had set a noon deadline for an agreement in their contract negotiations. Picket lines are due to be up during the Red Sox' game against the reigning MLB champion Los Angeles Dodgers Friday night.

The game went on as scheduled, despite storms following an extremely hot day in Boston, but the union asked fans who were attending to avoid buying concessions. The strike is planned through Sunday's game.

Workers are asking for a higher salary, increased tips for premium workers, scheduling that respects workers' seniority and guardrails on automation.


UNITE HERE Local 26 concession workers outside Fenway Park at the start of their strike on Friday, July 25, 2025.

Read more: https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/fenway-concession-workers-strike-deadline-today/3776484/

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FULL story & VIDEO at link.

[LisaM]

1. One thing that annoys me at games is when concessions booths are staffed by charities.

I don't mind paying a little extra for concessions at a pro game. It's not cheap to provide a professional sporting event. But it absolutely ruins it for me when some untrained kid can't seem to understand a perfectly normal order or lets a hot dog sit there and get cold while they saunter off to get popcorn or something. Or when they're slow, or can't figure out how to have a few things ready ahead of time. Or can't make change.

I m all for paying people to run concessions and I am also for paying them well so that they can keep my experience flowing at a game.