Nearly 650 concession, food and beverage workers at the United Center have voted to authorize a strike, their Unite Here Local 1 union wrote in a news release on Tuesday night.
“Hundreds of concessions workers at the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls, authorized a strike after last night's game with a 98 percent yes vote. The union workers want affordable healthcare, better wages, and benefits,” the More Perfect Union Twitter account wrote.
The union did not provide information on timing, but say the strike could begin “at any moment.” The workers are scheduled to return to the bargaining table in mid-February, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The Chicago Bulls play at the United Center against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday and Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, while Adam Sandler is set to perform at the venue on Sunday. The Chicago Blackhawks return home next week after the NHL All-Star break.
According to the Tribune, “the food and beverage workers are employed by Chicago-based food service provider Levy, which operates at sports and entertainment venues around the country, including both Wrigley and Guaranteed Rate Fields.” Levy said it was discouraged by the vote, asserting that there is a fair and generous proposal on the table.
“Our current wage and economic proposal is the most significant in the history of our strong, working relationship with Local 1. Throughout the process, Levy has made several substantial concessions while the union has moved very little from its initial economic proposal in over a year,” the company said.
The workers tell a very different story, telling the Tribune that access to health care was a huge issue for Levy employees. Dan Abraham, the organizing director for the Unite Here Local 1 strike, said “workers had not received wages other than mandatory increases in the minimum wage since January 2020,” and “had been working on an extended contract until it expired in September.”
Levy said that if a strike occurs, the company will continue to provide food and beverage service at the United Center, per the Tribune.
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