United Center concession workers have voted to authorize a strike, meaning vendors could be walking out at any time. UNITE HERE Local 1‘s comes as around 650 concessions workers are demanding an increase in wages and better healthcare.
Their employer Levy Restaurants is under investigation for violating labor laws. Employees who have been working at the Chicago events venue for decades are making Chicago’s minimum wage.
And rules for receiving health care benefits require employees to meet a particular amount of work hours without combining their time working at the United Center with other venues. Allowing the combination of work hours to apply toward healthcare is allowed at other Chicago venues including Navy Pier, where workers are also employed by Levy Restaurants.
So if Levy Restaurants does not meet the demands of UNITE HERE Local 1, we could witness the concession workers walk out. And fans attending Disney on Ice, Bulls and Blackhawks games, concerts, and more, may be inconvenienced.
