When the Red Sox return home to open a weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the focus should be on the marquee matchup and the long-awaited return of Mookie Betts. Instead, all eyes might be on the concession stands — or rather, who’s not working them.
That’s because UNITE HERE Local 26, the union representing Fenway’s concession workers, has threatened to strike starting at noon Friday if contract talks with Aramark, the stadium’s food service provider, don’t finally go somewhere meaningful. And let’s be real: this thing’s been boiling for a while.
“This isn’t just a labor issue. It’s a community issue,” the union said in a statement. “It’s about whether the people who serve the hot dogs, pour the beer, and welcome the fans can afford to keep living in the city we love.”
In short, these workers — who are not technically Red Sox employees — want fair wages, better scheduling protections, and some assurances they won’t get replaced by automation. And while it’s Aramark who signs their checks, this whole standoff is happening inside Fenway Park, which means Red Sox ownership and fans are going to feel it one way or another.
A Familiar Face Returns to Familiar Tension
That brings us back to Mookie Betts. Yes, Mookie’s back in Boston. And yes, that still stings.
You can’t help but notice the irony here. The best homegrown player of the last 20 years is making his emotional return — not just to the city, but to the very ballpark that let him walk — on the same day the people who keep that ballpark running may walk off the job for similar reasons.
Betts, you’ll remember, was heading into his final year of arbitration in 2020 when he and the Sox couldn’t come to terms on an extension. Rather than pay the MVP what he was worth, Boston cut ties and shipped him to the Dodgers in the now-infamous deal that brought back Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong, and Jeter Downs.
Betts went on to sign a $365 million deal with L.A. He’s now got two more World Series rings, four more All-Star selections, and the kind of enduring superstardom Boston fans thought they’d have for a decade.
But back in the city that let him go, Mookie will step into the batter’s box Friday night — while the folks selling beer and popcorn might be standing outside with picket signs instead of price tags.
A Divided Fenway Park
So no, this strike threat isn’t technically a Red Sox issue, but symbolically it’s right in their wheelhouse.
You’ve got workers fighting for fairness in a city where it’s nearly impossible to survive without multiple jobs. You’ve got ownership — namely John Henry and the Fenway Sports Group — sitting atop a franchise that just dropped more than $7 billion in combined global investments (hello, Liverpool and PGA TOUR ties). And you’ve got Mookie Betts, back in town with a point proven and a legacy growing.
Fenway Park may be sold out this weekend — but don’t be surprised if it also feels very, very uncomfortable. The beer might still flow, but so will the tension.
