Fenway Park Concession Workers Ratify New Contract with Aramark After Yearlong Talks

After months of negotiations and a summertime strike, the union representing Fenway Park concession workers says it has reached a deal with food service provider Aramark that will deliver meaningful pay raises and new job protections for hundreds of employees.

Members of UNITE HERE Local 26, which represents the food and beverage workers at the ballpark, voted to ratify the agreement after a year of tense bargaining. The previous contract expired on Dec. 31, 2024, and workers authorized a strike in June 2025. They later staged a one-day walkout in July that brought national attention to their fight for higher wages, fair scheduling, and limits on automation.

According to WCVB, the new five-year deal boosts wages by $10 an hour for non-tipped workers and by $5 an hour for tipped workers, with a $2 retroactive raise to cover the period since the contract’s expiration. The agreement also includes updated policies around staffing levels and the use of self-checkout kiosks inside the park—an issue that became central to the workers’ demands.

Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo told Boston.com that the union and Aramark collaborated to ensure technology upgrades wouldn’t come at the expense of long-time employees. “Our members worked hard to make sure that service stays safe, the operation stays strong, and Fenway keeps the experienced workers who make it run,” Aramayo said in a statement.

For Aramark, which manages food services at venues across the country, the resolution marks the end of a drawn-out negotiation that occasionally boiled over in public view. In a statement quoted by WCVB, the company said it “values our employees” and was “pleased to have reached a fair agreement” that supports both staff and fans at the historic ballpark.

The deal is a significant win for Fenway Park workers who said they’ve struggled with rising living costs in Boston. For many, the agreement not only means higher pay but also signals a renewed commitment to job security in the face of increased automation.

With the start of the 2026 Red Sox season just a few months away, the ratified contract ensures that beer vendors, cooks, and cashiers who keep fans fed and refreshed can look forward to improved working conditions—and a little more financial breathing room.