Unionized Aramark workers at Citizens Bank Park vote for strike authorization

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Unionized Aramark employees at Citizens Bank Park voted to authorize a strike on Sunday amid ongoing contract negotiations with the food service company, and workers at Lincoln Financial Field could be next.

Food service and retail workers at Citizens Bank Park held a strike vote over Labor Day weekend, and 83% voted in favor. The vote is the latest in a series of efforts to ramp up pressure on Aramark to meet demands from Unite Here Local 274 , the union that represents workers at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex .

Workers want a $1 raise and better health care in their new contract with Aramark. The union said the most recent proposal from the company, which was rejected by 99% of workers, only offered a 50-cent raise and required 1,400 hours of work before health care access, rather than workers’ request for a 900-hour threshold.

Last month, workers rallied ahead of Bruce Springstreen’s concert at the ballpark. And in June, they rallied in front of the Aramark building on Market Street , which led to a few arrests.

This is the second strike authorization approved by workers in the 10 months of negotiations with Aramark. Workers at the Wells Fargo Center authorized a strike back in March and hit the picket lines in April .

Unite Here said workers at Lincoln Financial Field are holding their own strike vote this week, with the results expected on Friday — the day the Eagles open their season in Brazil.

Aramark has maintained it will continue to bargain in good faith with workers.