Strike Vote Averted and Tentative Agreement Reached for Levy Workers at Barclays Center

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. 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.

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.” Read more in The Chief!