Perhaps these kinds of negotiations always get dragged out, even for Encore, which has tried to do right by its 3,500 employees. “We plan to meet again with the Union on Wednesday with a strong desire to reach a positive outcome.” “We are deeply disappointed that the Union has voted to strike,” Weaver added. The exceptions, according to a statement from Wynn Resorts spokesman Michael Weaver, are in categories where workers receive “far-above market average tips” that comes with being at a five-star property. “If I were a betting man, I would wager that they will negotiate in good faith and resolve it before Saturday,” he told me.įor its part, Encore owner Wynn Resorts said it has provided a proposal that addresses the unions’ request for compensation market parity in nearly every category. So far, the other resort casino license has been awarded to MGM in Springfield.Įverett Mayor Carlo DeMaria - one of the casino’s biggest champions - is hopeful the parties can work out their differences. The state law allows for only three such casinos, a category for destination facilities that not only include slot machines but also table games such as blackjack and poker. In 2014, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission awarded Encore - part of the Wynn Resorts empire - a coveted resort casino license for an initial 15-year period. But more important, Encore has to play the long game. In this tight labor market, good luck finding replacement workers. If a strike happens, Encore has more to lose than gain. Unions and management are set to return to the negotiating table on Wednesday. Perhaps it was pandemic economics that led to a below-market deal, but that shouldn’t be the case today.Īccording to the American Gaming Association, the five-star resort casino has “continued its emergence as one of the most lucrative commercial casino-resorts in North America.” Here are Encore Boston’s eye-popping numbers: In 2022, the casino generated $729.7 million in total gaming revenue, or a 15 percent increase from the prior year, which made it the third-highest grossing commercial casino outside of Nevada. Cocktail servers who also rely on tips are paid about $8 an hour, or about $6 less an hour, the union says. On average, that’s about $2 less an hour than unionized workers at other hotels. How much? Encore housekeepers, according to the union, earn about $25 an hour.

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