Workers strike at Eagles, 76ers and Phillies stadiums

An unprecedented four-day strike by concession workers at Philadelphia’s football, basketball and baseball stadiums ended on Sept. 27 with news that fresh proposals from their employer Aramark were forthcoming.

The union sent this statement to its supporters: “We made history! For the first time ever we struck all three buildings at once. The strength of our STRIKE was felt and showed our resolve. We will fight until we win!”

The strike of over 1,000 members of UNITE HERE Local 274 included concessions workers — cooks, servers, bartenders, cleaners, dishwashers and retail and warehouse workers — employed by Aramark at the Wells Fargo Center, Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field, all located near each other in the sports district of South Philadelphia. 

It’s more than a coincidence that each sports facility’s naming rights were bought by a financial institution. Sports is big business. According to Global Sports Insight, “Existing [annual] revenue estimates for the global sports industry range from $471 billion to $1.4 trillion.”

Aramark, one of the largest food service companies in the world, is headquartered in Philadelphia. The company’s reported revenue in 2023 was $18.9 billion from providing food, cleaning, hospitality management, supply chain, operations, maintenance and other services to the education, health care, government, prisons, sports and leisure sectors. (aramark.gcs-web.com )

Aramark has separate contracts at each of the three stadiums — all of which have expired. Despite the fact that some union members work across all the venues logging 40 or more hours per week, they are treated as part-time workers and don’t receive full-time health care coverage because the agreements are limited to time worked per stadium. UNITE HERE is fighting for a contract that aggregates workers’ hours and standardizes pay at each location, so critical stadium staff can get the full-time benefits and fair compensation they need to raise a family.

The union members — very diverse with workers who are Black, Latine, Asian, white, of all genders — are also trying to secure a contract with better wages and health care benefits. While professional sports players are paid millions of dollars to play for the billionaires who own the Eagles, 76ers and Phillies, concession workers for the sports venues make as little as $10 per hour selling beer at $18 a pop. They often work multiple jobs just to afford health care..   

Show of strong solidarity

The Major League Baseball Players Association stated on X (formerly Twitter) Sept. 23 it “stands in solidarity with @UNITEHEREPhilly workers at Citizens Bank Park as they take this courageous action to achieve a fair deal. Aramark workers are essential to the great fan experience at the ballpark and deserve the fair wages and benefits they are fighting for.”

Local 274 asked sports fans, concert goers and other people going to stadium events to eat elsewhere beforehand, tailgate or carry in their own food and requested that fans not skip their events but rather to honor the strike by boycotting all of Aramark’s operations at the stadiums. Many people could be seen carrying wrapped hoagies and other sandwiches and snacks in the required clear plastic bags as they walked through the entry gates.

The picket lines were also respected by members of Teamsters Joint Council No. 53, representing the truck drivers who normally deliver beer, food and other supplies to Aramark at the South Philadelphia Stadium Complex. 

The strike began a week after Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker endorsed plans to build a new 76ers arena in Center City despite fierce opposition from nearby residents of Chinatown, Washington Square West and the Gayborhood.

In a show of solidarity, the Save Chinatown Coalition sent an email to its members asking them to “Stand with Aramark workers who are taking on corporate greed to make our city a better place” and to join the picket lines.

“Before we even talk about building a new arena, we need to make sure that stadium food service jobs are good jobs,” said Tiffani Davis, an Aramark concessions worker at Citizens Bank Park, Wells Fargo Center and Lincoln Financial Field. “Year-round work should come with year-round benefits like health care and family sustaining wages.” (WHYY.org, Sept. 23)