Barclays Center concessions workers reach tentative agreement, avert strike

More than 600 food and beverage workers at the Barclays Center reached a tentative agreement with their employer this week for a new contract that would expand health-care eligibility, raise wages and allow some workers to start receiving tips. It also provides for investment in training facilities and programs. 

Levy, the vendor that employs concessions workers at the Brooklyn arena, has been bargaining with UNITE HERE Local 100, the workers’ union, for more than a year. The agreement, which needs to be ratified by members for it to go into effect, will last until 2027. 

According to the deal, workers will receive raises between $5 and $11.20 and by the end of the contract the lowest paid worker will be making $25 an hour. About 100 workers will qualify for free health insurance without seniority or salary qualifications, up from 60 in the last contract, and employees will also get more contributions to their pensions from Levy, which also committed an additional $200,000 to training.

Around a dozen workers gathered with Local 100 officials at the arena’s back entrance on Tuesday morning to announce the agreement, and workers were ecstatic to receive long-sought raises. “Living in New York City we need higher wages to keep up with the higher living costs,” Nyla Andrews, concessions stand lead, told The Chief at the Tuesday rally. “I’m really happy that the company has agreed to the terms that we want and need.” 

Union: deal sets a standard

Local 100 had threatened to strike if a deal wasn’t agreed upon and the union canceled a strike authorization vote scheduled for July 17 at the last minute following the tentative agreement. “Everybody was ready, whether it's signing a petition or being at a rally or, if necessary, using the ultimate weapon that a worker has, the right to strike. They were ready,” the local’s president, José Maldonado, said at Tuesday’s rally.  

“We are all proud to reach a deal that shows team members how much they are valued,” a joint statement from Levy and the union said. “Union membership will vote to ratify the agreement in the coming days.”  

Maldonado said that the agreement sets a standard for workers at arenas and stadiums, and noted that the expanded health insurance eligibility is the best of any arena in New Jersey or New York. Once the contract is ratified, he said that he will focus on getting the same benefits for unionized workers at Madison Square Garden. "We are family, we treat New York customers as our family, the Nets are our family and we wanted to make sure that we were taken care of,” Maldonado said at the announcement. “I think that message was delivered by the tentative agreement.” 

Brooklyn’s borough president, Antonio Reynoso, also was on hand Tuesday to note the new contract and told the assembled workers that he had a personal connection since his aunt is employed by Levy at the Barclays Center. “She called me and told me that they were successful, and we celebrated,” he said. “It is not by chance that the best contract that currently exists for UNITE HERE is right here. … This is what we expect and nothing less.” \

dfreeman@thechiefleader.com