August 5, 2025 • 40 mins
UNITE HERE Local 26, the union representing hundreds of Fenway Park concession workers, warns a second strike could occur after failing to reach a satisfactory agreement with Aramark. Union workers are pushing for higher wages and other workplace protections. How could a second-strike impact fans going to a future game at Fenway? Union President, Carlos Aramayo joined us on NightSide to discuss the latest in the ongoing negotiations between Fenway Park concession workers and their employer.
*Aramark has been invited to join the conversation & has not responded to our request*
*Aramark has been invited to join the conversation & has not responded to our request*
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
And Dan Watkins, thank you very much. Well Over at
Fenway tonight, the concessionaires, the regular concessionaires, the eight team
concessionaires are at work and with us is Carlos Aramile.
He is the head of Local twenty six. Carlos, welcome
(00:28):
to Nightside.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Thanks for having me. Glad to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Now, we refer to the Fenway concessionaiers as sort of
the umbrella term for anybody who works over there. Everything
from the folks in the stands will bring hot dogs
and beer to the people in the seats, the people
who sell under the stands at various places, souvenirs, programs,
et cetera. Is the word concessionaires a word that the
(00:55):
union accepts and enjoys. There is there better word.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Yeah, I mean I think those would folks call them,
you know, the folks who are selling all those concessions,
you know, I think, to be honest, you know a
lot of us talk about how a lot of our members.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
You know, they're the lifeblood of the park, right They're
the so soul of the park. The folks when you
go in there, who are going to greet you and
and you know, maybe maybe throw some peanuts at you
and and uh, you know, try to sell you a
try to sell you a Sam Adams and a Boston
accent like that kind of thing. But but yeah, that's
the kind of work they do. They sell pretty much
anything that's that's at the park. Uh and and then
(01:33):
you know they cook all the food. And they also
do special events. Right, we have there's a lot of
special events at some way, and they're the folks who
are catering those special events, right and providing that service.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Okay, but but the work, I just want to make
sure that the word concessionaire, Yeah, that is a word
that that is acceptable. That's all. Didn't want to make Yeah, okay, yeah,
if there was a better word. Okay. So you folks
voted to go on strike for the Dodgers series. Those
are the three games that you eight outside the ballpark
and picketed. Most strikes are continuous. We have the trash
(02:05):
strike going on, the Republic Trash Services strike. They're not
going back till they get a contract. You're in kind
of a different set of circumstances. You have eighty one
baseball games and you do have other events there as well.
But you know, for many people it's a second job.
(02:26):
It's kind of a side house in the best sense
of the word. You could be a school teacher and
during the summer you can make some money of Faenway Park.
You're not you're on strike, but you're not on strike.
Why don't you explain that to the audience, scholars.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, you're really right, you know, for a lot of
our folks at the second and sometimes a third job.
But it's also true, you know, as you were saying,
it's an events based business. Right, It's not like you know,
we had some strikes in the hotel industry last year.
You know, hotels open all the time twenty four to seven, Right,
(03:01):
you're not. It's not shutting down for pretty much anything.
Even in COVID, Right, we were open. But you know,
our members at Fenway they work an event, right, so
they get called in, you know, they're on a list,
and if the Socks are playing, or if there's a
concert going on, they get called in to play that event,
(03:22):
and so are our committee. Like the folks who are
leading the bargaining on our side, I think made a
pretty smart decision, which is to say, okay, let's let's
strike this this set of three events, this homestand let's
send a message to Aaron Mark, who's our employer, that
we can certainly do this. And I think they did
(03:43):
a fantastic job, and we've had a lot of people
out there on the picket lines, and also send a
message that hey, if we got to do it again,
we'll do it again. And if there's another big event
coming up, we have the ability and we demonstrate the
ability that we can do that. So I think that
was the thinking that we had a lot of di
cussions about how to think about this kind of venue.
And you know, because the day after the third Dodgers game,
(04:06):
but nobody work, I mean like skeleton crew, right, A
couple of guys in the warehouse. That's all who would work, right,
And you're not going to disrupt anything. It's the thing
empty right now?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Are you men women called in for every game or
do you know that you know that you know most
of them are going to get called in. Do they
have to literally wait by the phone. Is it a
seniority basis or or do the people who have been
there for a while, no that unless they call in
sick or they want the night off they're going to work.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah, you know, it is a seniority based system. But
I'll put it this way. You know, the list over
there of folks who are employed there is over eleven
hundred people. But even in a sellout game, you're gonna
have about seven hundred people at the park, right, so
that means four hundred people they took a path on
(05:00):
that gig or you know, they didn't make it to
that part part of the seniority list. And so it is.
You know, it is a stable workforce in that if
folks work there a lot, they'll build seniority, they'll get
better gigs when they're at the park. But it's also
casual in that you know, as you were saying, a
lot of these folks have to sometimes you know, another job,
(05:20):
sometimes two other jobs. So that's that's how the scheduling
works out.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Let's talk about the the remuneration. Are there any more
conversations going on with Aaron mark or once you know,
once the Dodgers series passed, where do you stand? I
don't want to know if you're close or whatever, because
who knows. Then are the meetings with with Aaron Marky?
(05:45):
Are you having meetings or no.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Yeah, we have had no contact with Aaron Mark since
the strike ended. And in fact, I think a bunch
of our folks tomorrow before the game are think going
to go try to find management and say, hey, you gotta,
you gotta, you gotta sit down, you got to try
to move this because we haven't heard from them at all.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Management meaning Red Sox management, No meaning Aaron Mark.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
We haven't heard from Aramark at all. So okay.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
So you have Aramark supervisors who your folks work with
every day.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
Yeah, that's right, okay, and I assume that probably the relationships,
the relationship between your your union members and the supervisors
is generally pretty good.
Speaker 6 (06:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Obviously those people you see every day. Right, you know
you're not going to be fighting with books, Yeah, right, right, right?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
So, yeah, are you trying to rope the Red Sox
into this at all? Because the Red Sox really are
out of it. They apparently, it's not understand that negotiate
a deal with Aramark, they give Aramax the rights to
sell products in the ballpark, and the Red Sox negotiate
a contract with Aramark. But you are employed by Aramark,
(06:54):
not by the Red Sox.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Our members are employed by Aaron Mark. We did, you know,
our members really wanted you know, our members know a
lot of the folks who work at the Red Sox
obviously they're in the park a lot, and so you know,
they they really wanted to make an appeal kind of
right before the strike to to Fendway Sports Group and
to to Sam Kennedy and John Henry really as a hey,
(07:20):
is there anything you can do to step in here?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Right?
Speaker 3 (07:22):
This is your contractor right? You know, you know you
own the team. Obviously we understand that we're not your employees,
and no one's claiming that, but you know you have
some influence here and some ability maybe to kind of
persuade cooler heads to prevail, uh, to try to get
this done. So I think you know we did do that.
(07:47):
I know we also had in advance of the strike
a couple of the players, I think, uh, you know,
Giulito was said some things and when he was with
the Philly Series, you know, supportive things, which we really
appreciate it, and I know our members, our members really appreciate.
I think Garrett Whitlocke also said a couple of things
as well, and so you know, we are trying to
(08:08):
appeal to the Red Sox, you know, as you know,
maybe a white night Right who might be able to
come in here, and.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
They're a third party, but they're an interested.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Third party, exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah, Okay, let's do this, Carlins. Let me take a break.
I'll let you go at nine thirty. I'm hoping to
hear from maybe a couple of callers who may have questions.
I hope that people who had bought tickets to the
Dodgers series and had to make the difficult decision of
crossing a Union picket line, and it looked to me
from the ballpark that most people did cross that picket line,
(08:44):
whether they did so knowingly, reluctantly, or whatever. But I
hope that you were staying to them, Hey, we don't
mind you going to the ball game because you paid
for your tickets, but you know, you don't have to
buy five beers or fourteen hot dogs. And uh, do
you do you know if there was any diminution in
(09:05):
the amount of concession sold during that series?
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Yeah, and that's a great question. I'd love to ask
Aaron Mark that question, because you know, I don't have
the data.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Well, I don't think. I don't think araon Mark is
going to call in invology.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
That I don't think they are.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Yeah, my guess is Carlos Arameo. He's the head of
the Union Local thirty six, the Fenway concessionaires.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
I love to hear from some of you who maybe
were at that series. Look, these folks do have an argument.
I'm going to get to that with Carlos as to
what their rate of pay is from Aramark compared to
a couple of locations here in New England a matter
of fact, one right down the street at Boston University.
(09:47):
And uh, we need to have some sympathy for people
who are trying to scratch out a living and earn
a living. Uh. And so I'm hoping here from my
listeners and also people who are in the union to
make a pitch and let's try to influence public opinion
a little bit that Era Mark. Should you know, maybe
(10:07):
they they haven't cut their prices for any any hot
dogs or beer. They they may be they should be
willing to share I think some of that profit, uh
with the employees who are selling those those items that
result in that profit profit six one seven two five
four to ten thirty six, one seven, nine, three, one
ten thirty. Coming right back on night Side with Carlos Romeo.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Back with Carlos Arameo, the head of Local twenty six,
the Fenway concessionaires who are on strike, but because of
the circumstances of their job, they're actually working tonight and
took to the picket line while the Red Sox played
the Dodgers and have been back inside the ballpark ever since. Carlos,
(10:57):
I want to go to phone calls, but I also
want to ask you. Are you concerned at any point
that this company might try to lock you out of
Fenway Park.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Yeah, it's not something we've been that concerned about, partly
because you know, we're we're pretty essential to the life
of the park, and you know, I think all a
lot of our members have worked there for a long time,
and I think really understand the ins and outs of
serving food and providing the kind of hospitality you need
to provide at one of those ball games. It's a
(11:29):
pretty complicated operation, and I think we saw during the strike,
we had some reports from folks who were inside you know,
particularly on the Friday and the Saturday when it was
you know, night games, a lot of people there. Like,
they really struggled to deliver the product that we deliver,
and so I think it was very, very very challenging
(11:50):
enough for them to to on a long term basis,
be able to do something like that.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
I was surprised that Era Mark could could assemble that
number of people because, as you said, it's about seven
hundred people in the ballpark. Home had they been putting.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
I mean, the thing that was great. I mean what
I saw, you know, and again we didn't we I
wasn't in there, but we knew fans and you know friends.
We had a lot of comages, right, so we had
friends of members who were in there, and everything is
you know, forty minute waits for beer. Beer that was
being poured that was foamy. Uh, you know, a huge
backups for food lines, a lot of limited product availability
(12:32):
in some of the premium spaces. You know, they they
didn't have people to run the tables, right, so you know,
you know, garbage was piling up on all the tables
and stuff like that. Uh. You know, like I said before,
menu changes things like that. So I think they and
they also closed a number of venues, which you know,
given that it was a sellout, is unheard of. Basically,
(12:53):
you know, when there's all.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's get a phone call or too. Here,
folks like to join the conversation. Six one seven, four
ten thirty six one seven, nine thirty. When I talked
about this, it was, you know, really the weekend of
the Dodgers. It was a Friday night, I think of
the Dodger series. And uh, there are a lot of
your uh employees or your your membership who called in
(13:18):
which which which was gratifying. Let me go to Bob
and Rainham. Bob you first this hour with Carlos Rameo,
the head of Local twenty six, the Fenwaken Sessionaires.
Speaker 6 (13:28):
Going ahead, Bob, Hey, Dan, how's it going, Carlos, how's
it going? I guess my first comment is is I'm
stunned that is union for part time employees that are
seasonable number one and number two. I from what I understand,
(13:49):
I think part of you, Risha, is you want to
keep Barra Mac from installing whatever you want to call
mora robotic automatic. I don't know either.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
I guess you'd call them kiosks, Bob, or you go
up and you'd put your money. I guess you got
to use a credit card or something. Inside Fenway Park,
they don't take cash anymore, which bothers me a little bit.
But that's a personal peak. Yeah. Yeah, they're like any
other company that they're concerned about losing employee, any other
(14:29):
union concerned about losing employees. Hey, maybe some time they
will have a talk show hosts. AI will create talk
show hosts, and you won't be talking to an actual
human being. Bob. I'm not sure that's a good thing
for me. I'm not sure that's a good thing for you.
Let's get Carlos address the issue that you brought up. Okay,
why he fights for his membership and for their for
(14:52):
preserving their jobs. I think that's your question.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
Right, Yeah, but yes, but I I think you're gonna
I think, cut your own throat. But anyway, Okay, well
I'm going to.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Ask you about that in a second. Well, let's just
get I just want to get the conversation started. Give
Carlos a chance to jump in here and address the issue.
That's a legitimate issue that you brought up. Go ahead, Carlos.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Yeah, I mean, the automation is a big issue, and
it's been a big issue in these contract negotiations. And
you know, really what that impacts is some of our
higher paid members, right, and some of our folks who
sell beer at Sanway Park, right, they make good money, right,
They make a lot of gratuity off of the beer,
and you know, God bless the fans for doing that, right.
(15:37):
But what we've seen is these automated beer selling machines
called maskins have been installed at the park. And where
you used to have four guys at beer taps and
or girls at beiererd beer taps selling selling beer, you
now have one person watching four machines, right, And so
that means three people have lost their ability to earn
(16:00):
earn a good income that night. And these are folks
who've worked at the park, some of them since high school, right,
Like they've put in years and years of service to
work their way up to these beer selling positions, right,
because they're the lucrative spots at the park, right. And
so you know, we've seen a real loss of positions
(16:22):
like that, which is just a a sort of loss
of income for people.
Speaker 6 (16:24):
Right.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
And anybody takes the haircut they're going to feel it.
So it's a big issue for us, and I think
we you know, some of our bartenders have also raised it,
and I think legitimately as a safety issue, right, because
you know, maybe one thing to be selling hot dogs
from a machine, but you know, our bartenders are trained
in safety, right, They're trained in identifying miners, identifying fake IDs,
(16:48):
They're trained in identifying people who have been over served,
right and probably shouldn't be drinking and maybe should go
watch a couple of more innings at baseball before they
get another beer, right, And the machines can't do that stuff.
And I think there's also a concern that our members
have in addition obviously to the income thing, which is
the biggest concern, right, but a concern they have around
(17:10):
around safety issues, given that you know, they get told
you guys are the first line of defense for somebody
getting overserved.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
The other thing too, Bob, And I want to get
Bob to comment on this. Bob, every time that automation
comes in and takes a job away, that person may
end up having to go on some form of public
relief and they're no longer paying taxes and supporting the economy.
They are, you know, taking what they deserve to take,
(17:39):
particularly as someone who might have play paid into unemployment insurance.
But it bothers me when I go into a supermarket
and there's one line open that has an actual clerk
at a counter, and there's five or six kiosks and
twenty people are waiting in line to go to these
automated keys. I assume you're a kiosk guy, Bob, Right.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
No, I'm not really, but I just think you can't.
You're not going to stop the kiosks and the automation.
And I can see, you know, Armac giving you guys
a couple of bucks more an hour, but for you
guys to demand them not to install kiosks, I think.
I think you're dreaming. And I think that you know,
(18:25):
when the off season comes and you guys put them
in a bad position, you'll see probably double the kiosks
next season and less employees. So I think, I mean,
that's the way these guys play the game.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Okay, yeah, they well, the the the venture capital folks
come in and they they're able to execute what they
call economies, but what other people call job cuts. Hey, Bob,
I appreciate you having the coverage to raise that issue.
It's an interesting issue, that's for sure. Appreciate it, Bob,
thank you much. But I calls again, how can folks
(19:03):
support the union? Again? It's important to me, and yeah,
I hope it's more important to my audience.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Go ahead, Yes, I think you know a couple of things. One,
if if there is another strike, which you know, I
think there might be, given where we're at in the bargaining,
we again would ask folks, you know, please enjoy the game,
but please don't buy in your food or drink when
you're at the park. I think the other thing is,
(19:31):
you know, I know there's a lot of folks who
are fans of the Red Sox who listen to your show,
if anyone, and we know this from fans that our
members know, right, a lot of the regular season ticket
holders have some relationship with the Red Sox, right because
they're spending a decent chunk of change right to go
to see the games, and so any any outreach that
could be made just just say, hey, could you please
(19:53):
settle this right? This is important to me as a
fan that this kind of gets resolved.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
I want to make sure that the guy who's cooking
the hot dog gets a fair cut, right. I think
you mentioned before, you know, down the street at Boston University,
it's an air Mark account and the guy's cooking hot
dogs make six dollars more an hour, right, And that's
sort of how we talk about this, and so I
think anything a fan could do to reach out. And
(20:19):
then also, honestly, if you're going to the park and
you're just a casual fan, go to one of our members, right,
anybody who's serving food, or anyone who's serving drinks, those
are our members, or selling t shirts, those are our members,
and just tell them you support them. I can't tell
you how many of our members have come to me
and just said how happy they were to hear fans
socks and Dodgers fans coming off to them and saying
(20:41):
how much they supported them. While they won't strike it, it
really needs a lot.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
You know, you mentioned that the guy who's selling the
guy or gal who's cooking hot dogs at at Boston
University making six dollars more than the folks at Fenway Park.
I'll bet you that the hot dogs. I just my
instinct is that talks a lot more expensive retail to
the customer at Boston University of Hockey and Basketball games,
(21:07):
uh as ther Fenway Park.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Yeah, I think you're right, Carlos.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Best of keep us posted. I again, I know a
lot of your folks are working tonight, but I'm going
to talk about this in the next half hour, and
I hope some of them want to call in and
back up what you had to say. And I wish you,
I wish your success and uh and thanks for fighting
for your membership.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Well, thanks so much, and thanks for the opportunity to
come on the show.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
So you're welcome. Than Carlos ram Mao, the head of
the local twenty six Fenway concessionaires. And again, it's a
it's kind of an interesting situation, which is one of
the reasons I wanted to talk with Carlos. We had
we did a couple of hours on the strike back
in late July on a night when I think they
(21:53):
were prepping for the for the strike the next night.
So this is a strike, but it's almost a sporadic strike.
And I'd love to have you join in. If you're
Red Sox fans, if you go to Fenway Park, will
you have second thoughts about buying that beer? Buying that
hot dog. Now, once you've heard Carlos, do you feel
(22:14):
that or doesn't matter? Maybe it doesn't matter to you.
Maybe you would just as soon see a million kiosks
and maybe a few people walking through the stands. I
think to go to a ball game and to be
able to sit in your seat and not have to
wait thirty minutes. You paid a lot of money to
go to the ball game, and to have somebody to
(22:35):
come by with whatever you're looking for, whether it's a
hot dog or a pepsi or a coke or a
beer or an ice cream or whatever, and buy something
for your family and still enjoy the game. Maybe give
a couple of bucks to the vendor. I think that's
what the experience of Fenway Park or any major league
stadium in any sport should be about. You don't want
(22:57):
to spend a couple of innings standing waiting in line
at a kiosk. So uh, I have wide open lines
six and I always get a little disappointed when I
see that, because I am always trying to find issues
and topics in different issues and different topics that are
of interest to you. We are going to talk tonight
(23:19):
beginning at ten o'clock about Jeffrey Epstein and this long
saga which seems to be coming to a head, but
we're going to get to that after ten. So I
hope to hear from some of you right now at
six one, seven, two, five four, ten thirty six one seven,
nine three one ten thirty. I think it's a bigger
issue than ben Waite Park. I think it is people
(23:41):
in the lower end of the economic totem pole who
are seeing their jobs eating up uh and taken away.
And you can make a bit of a statement when
you go to a to a Red Sox game if
you think I'm just all wet and dead wrong, bring
it on six one, seven, two, five four to ten
thirty six, one seven, nine thirty Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Well, it's interesting I had I never worked at Fenway Park.
I worked a lot of entry level jobs as a kid.
My first job was working in a stop and shop
in Hyde Park and Truman Highway. I was making I
think a dollar and a quarter an hour back in
the day, and it was it instills in you the
(24:30):
idea that hey, you can work for a living, you
can earn some money. If I could have worked at
Fenway Park, for me, that would have been nirvana, to
be inside the ballpark watching games and selling hot dogs
or whatever. But it's hard work. It's hard work, and
I'm sure, like anyone else anything else, you get a
job at an ice cream parlor and eventually you say
I've had enough ice cream. And I'm sure all of
(24:53):
these men and women who are working there, whether again
it is a primary employment or more likely is that
side hustle, that extra job, it means something to them,
and we can make a difference here. I I don't
see why you wouldn't. I hope you don't look down
your nose at the person who is carrying that beer
(25:13):
and ice around, bringing you a cold beer on a
hot Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park, or someone bringing a
hot dog to your kids in a Friday night. I
don't want to, you know, wax romantic about it, but
I think it is. It's part of Americana, and I'd
hate to see it go away. And that's why I
think this particular workstoppage, if you want to call it
a periodic strike, a sporadic strike, whatever you want to
(25:35):
call it, a strategic strike. That's fine, but feel free
to express your opinion. Let me go next to I'm
going to go to Donna in Quincy. Hey, donnae your
thoughts on this the strike of Femily.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Hey, how are you?
Speaker 2 (25:52):
Dan?
Speaker 7 (25:54):
I have to have done great. I have to agree completely.
This is a kind of a big deal for me.
My dad worked at Fenway Park when he was sixteen,
cleaning the place up, and my grandfather put up the
cit go sign. So I tell my Yeah, I tell
my kids and my students, that's like going to church
for me, going into Fenway, Now, you know, it's really
(26:17):
it is that kind of experience for us. But I noticed,
you know now that I'm a parent and a teacher
who sometimes brings kids to Fenway Park. Having that experience
of having someone come over to the seats that I
don't have to get up, I don't have to wait
and lie, I don't have to miss the game is
a really big deal. You know. I like to support
(26:39):
workers anyway, But the past two years we took kids
to Fenway Park on a field trip to the end
of the school year. NASA was there. It was a
great I thought it was going to be great, like
NASA and the Red Sox Are you kidding me? And
in the end, after the feedback, the kids said that
they wouldn't go back because the lines were too long
(26:59):
and the food was too expensive. They hadn't opened up,
you know, put enough people on and they had some
kiosks on and the kids didn't want to do it.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Yeah, it changes the experience in my opinion, and it
makes it different. But I'd love to hear from some
people who were inside the ballpark during that Dodger series,
and did you think about the concessionaires? Did you think
when you went up and bought that whatever. I'm not
even sure. I haven't been to a Fenway in a while.
(27:31):
I don't know what a beer is at Fenway Park anymore.
I've heard it as much. Some people have told me
twelve Some people have told me fourteen dollars, Hey, your
twenty eight dollars, get your case of light. Of course
light thirty pack. So where they're selling two for in
the equivalent of what it would cost you were me
(27:51):
in a liquor store to buy a pack of thirty
cores or whatever. Your flavor beer is very much making
some profit on this, that's for sure. They could spread
it around a little bit.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
Yeah, yeah, thanks so much. First time caller, Thank.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
You, thanks, first time caller.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
Yeah, well, hey.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
We want to give you. So many people are reluctant
to tell us their first time callers, which I don't understand. No,
we like to acknowledge that, and we like to look
forward to your next call, to your second time call.
No applause the second time, but you were in your
applause tonight.
Speaker 7 (28:29):
Okay, thanks Tom, Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Jan good six one seven four ten thirty six one
seven nine three one ten thirty. I think this is
an important story. I think there are implications for your
kids in the jobs that they might take again. My
first job as a bag boy, I stood. At the
end of the matter of fact, I still pack my
(28:52):
own groceries when I go to stores. I prefer to
do that because there is a science to it. You
put the heavier things on the bar, you put the
things on the bottom of the bag that weigh the most. Yeah,
And I will say to him, to the baggers these days,
I'll say, hey, you can deserve a break. I used
to do this professionally. Give me a chance to do it,
(29:13):
and I always try to do it as geometrically well
as I can. I don't want to. If it's one bag,
I want to fit it all. If it's more than one,
I want to balance it. There's every job has dignity.
I don't care what it is, and we need to
recognize the dignity of the job in the person. Let
me go to bow Down in the South Shore. Bo
you were next on Nightside. Welcome, how are you, bo?
Speaker 8 (29:36):
Hey Dan, it's been a while. Love your show?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Well, thank you. I appreciate that.
Speaker 8 (29:41):
As far as I mean, it's an honorable job. It
doesn't matter whether it's you know, the ber thing or whatever.
But I'm pretty much stat it with the gas station attendant.
You remember them, you used to come, and I mean
I was one of them years ago. But now they
have people pumping their own gas, and well, I.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Still go to a gas station on Route in. I
think it's technically Wellesley. Gary runs the Victory gas station
right on Route nine westbound, just after you clear uh
and they had the best price. And there there's always
(30:17):
someone out there pumping your gas, ready to wipe your windshield.
And I always throw a bucket two at him and
say thank you very much. Because I save on the
gas and where I am down down here on the Cape,
I go to another gas station. You know what I
paid for gas on the Cape last week at the station,
full service station?
Speaker 3 (30:38):
No how much?
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Take a guess?
Speaker 8 (30:40):
Uh three bucks a gallon?
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Cents?
Speaker 8 (30:45):
Yes, Well, there's there's a difference between people just trying
to make a buck and people basically trying to provide
a service. And that's the thing. I mean, it's sunway
back thing. I mean, somebody with a slide rules has
decided that they can make more money by putting in
kiosk and if people have to wait in line, they
have waiting customers because they know customers are going to
want beer. And I can't blame the people. I can't
(31:05):
blame the people who. I mean, this is their livelihood
in many cases, and that's an honorable job. I mean,
it's one of those things you don't know what you've
got until it's gone. And the trouble is, right now
people have become so accustomed to doing, you know, to
some of these changes. But it's not just this. It's
like this is happening, especially with the AI that's coming,
you know, so that it's going to be coming a
lot of people are going to be you know, they're
(31:27):
going to be phased out, and it's like, okay, they're
phased out, what do they do? What kind of job
do they do when every job they're doing is being
phased out by you know, mechanization or you know, computers
or something along those lines. So I mean, there has
to be some sort of a balance. And you can't
blame these people for going on strike. I mean if this,
you know, this is what they were doing, and this
(31:48):
is their job and all of a sudden they told well,
we don't need you anymore. I mean, you know, and
they're forcing it. I mean, there's absolutely no question that
I would rather have somebody come up to me and
say would you like this? Which you are you know
person the personal touch, but we've become so impersonal. And
from from a money's point of view, I mean, the
management is basically taking the cost of providing something with
(32:13):
the personal touch versus the cost of something in a kiosk.
It's not even a question. So from you know, from
the guy with the slide rule, who's going to say, well,
how do we do this and how do we make
money for the shareholders? It's going to be. You know,
it's an inhuman thing. But eventually, all these people who
are literally being put out of jobs, you know, they
what are they going to do? I mean, you know,
(32:34):
what's a guy who's this is this is his libry,
this is what he does, and all of a sudden
he's on the unemployment line, and you know he's going
to have to find a job somewhere else. And what
you're going to be doing a job somewhere else, He's
going to be competing with somebody who's already lost their job.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Well. The other thing, too, is if you're if you're
fifty five years old, people are going to look at
you and say, well, you know you contacts your old
dog new tricks, I love you. What was the line
you won't regret something, you won't miss it until it's gone.
Speaker 8 (33:04):
You don't know what it's got. You don't know what
you've got.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Someone's gone.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:07):
That was that was? What song? Was that from? You
should be a lyric for a song?
Speaker 8 (33:12):
I know, I think it was a melody or something
that don't always seem to go that you don't know
what you have?
Speaker 3 (33:17):
So what's gone?
Speaker 8 (33:19):
They paid paradise and put up a pack I mean,
and you're right, you're.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Right, look at all of these and as they say,
just the experience at a ballpark the but it's not
just who shows you to your seats. They don't have
those movie theaters anymore.
Speaker 8 (33:38):
And exactly, and for those of.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
Us who can pay whatever it is fifty bucks to
go to a Ruin a Red Sox game, or more
to go to a Bruins or a Celtics game, give
me the s for a couple of bucks and say
thank you. They you know, kind of clean off your
seat or whatever.
Speaker 8 (33:54):
Again, it's but they've taken The thing is, management has
taken what was a service industry and they've turned it
into you of providing your own service. And you're paying
a little bit less, but they're making a help a
lot more. And the trouble is there are going to
be a lot of people unemployed because of it. I mean,
and there's a difference.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
I believe.
Speaker 8 (34:13):
It was a guy named Tafla who wrote a book
called Power Shift, and basically it's a there's always a
there was always a constant changing in the social dynamic
of things expanding and things contracting. The trouble is when
you have so many things contracting at once. It's going
to create a god if you have to say a
thousand let's just say you have a thousand people who
(34:35):
used to doing a beer or you know, they're what's
the word conception consis concessionaires exactly. You know, if you
have to say a thousand consessions or all of a
sudden out of a job, I mean, there's going to
be an abrupt imbalance in the whole social fabric. And
there's you know, you can't there are certain things you
(34:56):
can legislate and certain things you can't legislate. And unless
you have some sort of a way to let the
public know, wait a minute, you know you're you're you're
putting us out of we are we no longer have
jobs so you can save a couple of dollars. So
it's not the strike that the people you know, providing
the you know, the concession is. It's they have to
make their positions clear to the public so the public
(35:18):
understands it says, I don't want these machines because again
you go, you go to.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
A grocery store and I see all the people going
through the kiosks, and.
Speaker 8 (35:27):
Absolutely, and I do think yet I won't go through.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
Them neither neither will I Hey hate to do this here,
bo I love the call. I got a run though,
because I got I'm past my break. Thank you much.
Speaker 8 (35:37):
Nice chatting when you haven't been a.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Chatting with you? Call again. Coming back on the night Side,
Jack and Dyton is on the other side. He's all said,
if you want to give it a shot. If not,
you can wait until we talk about Jeffrey Epstein and
that can of worms. Who is going to be hurt
the most there and it's going to be some pretty
(35:59):
famous people. Think if it all comes out, do you
want it to come out? I do love to hear
what you think. But we'll talk about that after the.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Ten It's Night Side with Dan Ray, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Next up, Jack is in Dyton, Massachusetts. Jack, welcome to Nightside.
You're next one. Go right ahead, sirp Okay, is Jack
not there? If Jack isn't there, Rob, let me know.
I introduced him, and if he's decided, if he's asleep
or whatever, we will move on. Let me know. If
he's there, not there, Okay, Jack. If for some reason
you get disconnected, you want to try to call back
(36:34):
real quickly, that's fine. Six, one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. Uh,
we lost Jack. Jack could have been in a car
and that would have been it. So uh that I
think will wrap up our conversation on the concessionaires. Wish
more people had wighed in. I don't know that the
(36:54):
the concessionaires have as much empathy as I thought they
would have. That's my frustration because I think that if
the Era Mark was listening tonight, they might say, well,
they didn't generate a lot of people who were saying, Hey,
I'm going to go to Fenway Park. I'm going to
this game that game, but I'm not buying a hot dog,
I'm not buying a beer. So frankly, from Aramark's point
(37:17):
of view, they might say, gee, most people aren't concerned
about it. And you may say, well, I don't work
at Fenwhite Park, so therefore why should I be concerned
about it? Well, what can be done to people at
Fenwaite Park can be done to whatever job you might
be employed by. Oh, there are certain jobs where you're
always going to need individuals. I think, for example, teachers,
(37:40):
it'll be tough to have AI robots come in and
teach kids in schools. I I guess that's kind of tough.
It's going to be tough to have rerit Sox players
or Yankee players to be AI individuals or robots. Maybe
someday there will be a robotic league. I don't know,
(38:00):
but they they are going to be able to replace
people in some of these service industry jobs. And I
think that's that is so sad, and I think it's cruel.
Grab that last call there. See if we get one
more person to be a little bit empathetic at least
to the plight of the workers. Because again, if you
(38:22):
don't care about other workers, maybe it will be your worker,
your your business someday that will be impacted. Let me
go to Louis in Manchester, New Hampshire. Louis, I got
you in here. We're kind of lake garright ahead.
Speaker 9 (38:36):
I love listening to your show. And I don't think
it's a black and white issue. But Dan Well, I
have to say that in the last twenty twenty five years,
customer service in all areas has declined greatly.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
I think that there are some of the high end
restaurants where you have great customer service, but you pay
for that but you're right customer service generally. I I've
gone into, like you know, some of the big box store.
I don't go through them anymore. I go to local
hardware stores. I used to go to the big box
stores and you'd ask people for a can you tell
me where this is? And and they were wearing the
(39:16):
orange apron or whatever, and they'd look at you like
and they would I would say, I'm really sorry to
bother you. I thought you worked here. Oh I do
work here, but you weren't able to help me, so.
Speaker 9 (39:26):
I can I another analogy, Dan, I drove a cab
for twenty eight years twenty fourteen twenty fifteen, Uber and
Lyft decimated the cab industry.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
And now uber lift is going to bed. Now uber
lift are going to be decimated by Weimo, no.
Speaker 9 (39:44):
Whatever, they're going to be decimated by. It's all for
the better of the consumer, because most of us just
don't have any time to waste.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
I guess, I guess it's sad. But but Waymo's gonna
wipe out Uber and Lyft, by the way, they're concerned
about when waymold the cars that are automatic with no drivers. Louis,
thank you for calling in late You saved me here
for the last minute, but I'm flat out of time
and i gotta let you run. Thank you, my friend.
I appreciate it more often appreciate it. Thank you. Well.
(40:17):
We get back when we talk about Jeffrey Epstein. Do
you want to know everything? And do you want to
know everything about everybody? Those are the questions coming back
on Night Side.
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
And Dan Watkins, thank you very much. Well Over at
Fenway tonight, the concessionaires, the regular concessionaires, the eight team
concessionaires are at work and with us is Carlos Aramile.
He is the head of Local twenty six. Carlos, welcome
(00:28):
to Nightside.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Thanks for having me. Glad to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Now, we refer to the Fenway concessionaiers as sort of
the umbrella term for anybody who works over there. Everything
from the folks in the stands will bring hot dogs
and beer to the people in the seats, the people
who sell under the stands at various places, souvenirs, programs,
et cetera. Is the word concessionaires a word that the
(00:55):
union accepts and enjoys. There is there better word.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Yeah, I mean I think those would folks call them,
you know, the folks who are selling all those concessions,
you know, I think, to be honest, you know a
lot of us talk about how a lot of our members.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
You know, they're the lifeblood of the park, right They're
the so soul of the park. The folks when you
go in there, who are going to greet you and
and you know, maybe maybe throw some peanuts at you
and and uh, you know, try to sell you a
try to sell you a Sam Adams and a Boston
accent like that kind of thing. But but yeah, that's
the kind of work they do. They sell pretty much
anything that's that's at the park. Uh and and then
(01:33):
you know they cook all the food. And they also
do special events. Right, we have there's a lot of
special events at some way, and they're the folks who
are catering those special events, right and providing that service.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Okay, but but the work, I just want to make
sure that the word concessionaire, Yeah, that is a word
that that is acceptable. That's all. Didn't want to make Yeah, okay, yeah,
if there was a better word. Okay. So you folks
voted to go on strike for the Dodgers series. Those
are the three games that you eight outside the ballpark
and picketed. Most strikes are continuous. We have the trash
(02:05):
strike going on, the Republic Trash Services strike. They're not
going back till they get a contract. You're in kind
of a different set of circumstances. You have eighty one
baseball games and you do have other events there as well.
But you know, for many people it's a second job.
(02:26):
It's kind of a side house in the best sense
of the word. You could be a school teacher and
during the summer you can make some money of Faenway Park.
You're not you're on strike, but you're not on strike.
Why don't you explain that to the audience, scholars.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, you're really right, you know, for a lot of
our folks at the second and sometimes a third job.
But it's also true, you know, as you were saying,
it's an events based business. Right, It's not like you know,
we had some strikes in the hotel industry last year.
You know, hotels open all the time twenty four to seven, Right,
(03:01):
you're not. It's not shutting down for pretty much anything.
Even in COVID, Right, we were open. But you know,
our members at Fenway they work an event, right, so
they get called in, you know, they're on a list,
and if the Socks are playing, or if there's a
concert going on, they get called in to play that event,
(03:22):
and so are our committee. Like the folks who are
leading the bargaining on our side, I think made a
pretty smart decision, which is to say, okay, let's let's
strike this this set of three events, this homestand let's
send a message to Aaron Mark, who's our employer, that
we can certainly do this. And I think they did
(03:43):
a fantastic job, and we've had a lot of people
out there on the picket lines, and also send a
message that hey, if we got to do it again,
we'll do it again. And if there's another big event
coming up, we have the ability and we demonstrate the
ability that we can do that. So I think that
was the thinking that we had a lot of di
cussions about how to think about this kind of venue.
And you know, because the day after the third Dodgers game,
(04:06):
but nobody work, I mean like skeleton crew, right, A
couple of guys in the warehouse. That's all who would work, right,
And you're not going to disrupt anything. It's the thing
empty right now?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Are you men women called in for every game or
do you know that you know that you know most
of them are going to get called in. Do they
have to literally wait by the phone. Is it a
seniority basis or or do the people who have been
there for a while, no that unless they call in
sick or they want the night off they're going to work.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah, you know, it is a seniority based system. But
I'll put it this way. You know, the list over
there of folks who are employed there is over eleven
hundred people. But even in a sellout game, you're gonna
have about seven hundred people at the park, right, so
that means four hundred people they took a path on
(05:00):
that gig or you know, they didn't make it to
that part part of the seniority list. And so it is.
You know, it is a stable workforce in that if
folks work there a lot, they'll build seniority, they'll get
better gigs when they're at the park. But it's also
casual in that you know, as you were saying, a
lot of these folks have to sometimes you know, another job,
(05:20):
sometimes two other jobs. So that's that's how the scheduling
works out.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Let's talk about the the remuneration. Are there any more
conversations going on with Aaron mark or once you know,
once the Dodgers series passed, where do you stand? I
don't want to know if you're close or whatever, because
who knows. Then are the meetings with with Aaron Marky?
(05:45):
Are you having meetings or no.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Yeah, we have had no contact with Aaron Mark since
the strike ended. And in fact, I think a bunch
of our folks tomorrow before the game are think going
to go try to find management and say, hey, you gotta,
you gotta, you gotta sit down, you got to try
to move this because we haven't heard from them at all.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Management meaning Red Sox management, No meaning Aaron Mark.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
We haven't heard from Aramark at all. So okay.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
So you have Aramark supervisors who your folks work with
every day.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
Yeah, that's right, okay, and I assume that probably the relationships,
the relationship between your your union members and the supervisors
is generally pretty good.
Speaker 6 (06:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Obviously those people you see every day. Right, you know
you're not going to be fighting with books, Yeah, right, right, right?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
So, yeah, are you trying to rope the Red Sox
into this at all? Because the Red Sox really are
out of it. They apparently, it's not understand that negotiate
a deal with Aramark, they give Aramax the rights to
sell products in the ballpark, and the Red Sox negotiate
a contract with Aramark. But you are employed by Aramark,
(06:54):
not by the Red Sox.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Our members are employed by Aaron Mark. We did, you know,
our members really wanted you know, our members know a
lot of the folks who work at the Red Sox
obviously they're in the park a lot, and so you know,
they they really wanted to make an appeal kind of
right before the strike to to Fendway Sports Group and
to to Sam Kennedy and John Henry really as a hey,
(07:20):
is there anything you can do to step in here?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Right?
Speaker 3 (07:22):
This is your contractor right? You know, you know you
own the team. Obviously we understand that we're not your employees,
and no one's claiming that, but you know you have
some influence here and some ability maybe to kind of
persuade cooler heads to prevail, uh, to try to get
this done. So I think you know we did do that.
(07:47):
I know we also had in advance of the strike
a couple of the players, I think, uh, you know,
Giulito was said some things and when he was with
the Philly Series, you know, supportive things, which we really
appreciate it, and I know our members, our members really appreciate.
I think Garrett Whitlocke also said a couple of things
as well, and so you know, we are trying to
(08:08):
appeal to the Red Sox, you know, as you know,
maybe a white night Right who might be able to
come in here, and.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
They're a third party, but they're an interested.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Third party, exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah, Okay, let's do this, Carlins. Let me take a break.
I'll let you go at nine thirty. I'm hoping to
hear from maybe a couple of callers who may have questions.
I hope that people who had bought tickets to the
Dodgers series and had to make the difficult decision of
crossing a Union picket line, and it looked to me
from the ballpark that most people did cross that picket line,
(08:44):
whether they did so knowingly, reluctantly, or whatever. But I
hope that you were staying to them, Hey, we don't
mind you going to the ball game because you paid
for your tickets, but you know, you don't have to
buy five beers or fourteen hot dogs. And uh, do
you do you know if there was any diminution in
(09:05):
the amount of concession sold during that series?
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Yeah, and that's a great question. I'd love to ask
Aaron Mark that question, because you know, I don't have
the data.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Well, I don't think. I don't think araon Mark is
going to call in invology.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
That I don't think they are.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Yeah, my guess is Carlos Arameo. He's the head of
the Union Local thirty six, the Fenway concessionaires.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
I love to hear from some of you who maybe
were at that series. Look, these folks do have an argument.
I'm going to get to that with Carlos as to
what their rate of pay is from Aramark compared to
a couple of locations here in New England a matter
of fact, one right down the street at Boston University.
(09:47):
And uh, we need to have some sympathy for people
who are trying to scratch out a living and earn
a living. Uh. And so I'm hoping here from my
listeners and also people who are in the union to
make a pitch and let's try to influence public opinion
a little bit that Era Mark. Should you know, maybe
(10:07):
they they haven't cut their prices for any any hot
dogs or beer. They they may be they should be
willing to share I think some of that profit, uh
with the employees who are selling those those items that
result in that profit profit six one seven two five
four to ten thirty six, one seven, nine, three, one
ten thirty. Coming right back on night Side with Carlos Romeo.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Back with Carlos Arameo, the head of Local twenty six,
the Fenway concessionaires who are on strike, but because of
the circumstances of their job, they're actually working tonight and
took to the picket line while the Red Sox played
the Dodgers and have been back inside the ballpark ever since. Carlos,
(10:57):
I want to go to phone calls, but I also
want to ask you. Are you concerned at any point
that this company might try to lock you out of
Fenway Park.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Yeah, it's not something we've been that concerned about, partly
because you know, we're we're pretty essential to the life
of the park, and you know, I think all a
lot of our members have worked there for a long time,
and I think really understand the ins and outs of
serving food and providing the kind of hospitality you need
to provide at one of those ball games. It's a
(11:29):
pretty complicated operation, and I think we saw during the strike,
we had some reports from folks who were inside you know,
particularly on the Friday and the Saturday when it was
you know, night games, a lot of people there. Like,
they really struggled to deliver the product that we deliver,
and so I think it was very, very very challenging
(11:50):
enough for them to to on a long term basis,
be able to do something like that.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
I was surprised that Era Mark could could assemble that
number of people because, as you said, it's about seven
hundred people in the ballpark. Home had they been putting.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
I mean, the thing that was great. I mean what
I saw, you know, and again we didn't we I
wasn't in there, but we knew fans and you know friends.
We had a lot of comages, right, so we had
friends of members who were in there, and everything is
you know, forty minute waits for beer. Beer that was
being poured that was foamy. Uh, you know, a huge
backups for food lines, a lot of limited product availability
(12:32):
in some of the premium spaces. You know, they they
didn't have people to run the tables, right, so you know,
you know, garbage was piling up on all the tables
and stuff like that. Uh. You know, like I said before,
menu changes things like that. So I think they and
they also closed a number of venues, which you know,
given that it was a sellout, is unheard of. Basically,
(12:53):
you know, when there's all.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's get a phone call or too. Here,
folks like to join the conversation. Six one seven, four
ten thirty six one seven, nine thirty. When I talked
about this, it was, you know, really the weekend of
the Dodgers. It was a Friday night, I think of
the Dodger series. And uh, there are a lot of
your uh employees or your your membership who called in
(13:18):
which which which was gratifying. Let me go to Bob
and Rainham. Bob you first this hour with Carlos Rameo,
the head of Local twenty six, the Fenwaken Sessionaires.
Speaker 6 (13:28):
Going ahead, Bob, Hey, Dan, how's it going, Carlos, how's
it going? I guess my first comment is is I'm
stunned that is union for part time employees that are
seasonable number one and number two. I from what I understand,
(13:49):
I think part of you, Risha, is you want to
keep Barra Mac from installing whatever you want to call
mora robotic automatic. I don't know either.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
I guess you'd call them kiosks, Bob, or you go
up and you'd put your money. I guess you got
to use a credit card or something. Inside Fenway Park,
they don't take cash anymore, which bothers me a little bit.
But that's a personal peak. Yeah. Yeah, they're like any
other company that they're concerned about losing employee, any other
(14:29):
union concerned about losing employees. Hey, maybe some time they
will have a talk show hosts. AI will create talk
show hosts, and you won't be talking to an actual
human being. Bob. I'm not sure that's a good thing
for me. I'm not sure that's a good thing for you.
Let's get Carlos address the issue that you brought up. Okay,
why he fights for his membership and for their for
(14:52):
preserving their jobs. I think that's your question.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
Right, Yeah, but yes, but I I think you're gonna
I think, cut your own throat. But anyway, Okay, well
I'm going to.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Ask you about that in a second. Well, let's just
get I just want to get the conversation started. Give
Carlos a chance to jump in here and address the issue.
That's a legitimate issue that you brought up. Go ahead, Carlos.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Yeah, I mean, the automation is a big issue, and
it's been a big issue in these contract negotiations. And
you know, really what that impacts is some of our
higher paid members, right, and some of our folks who
sell beer at Sanway Park, right, they make good money, right,
They make a lot of gratuity off of the beer,
and you know, God bless the fans for doing that, right.
(15:37):
But what we've seen is these automated beer selling machines
called maskins have been installed at the park. And where
you used to have four guys at beer taps and
or girls at beiererd beer taps selling selling beer, you
now have one person watching four machines, right, And so
that means three people have lost their ability to earn
(16:00):
earn a good income that night. And these are folks
who've worked at the park, some of them since high school, right,
Like they've put in years and years of service to
work their way up to these beer selling positions, right,
because they're the lucrative spots at the park, right. And
so you know, we've seen a real loss of positions
(16:22):
like that, which is just a a sort of loss
of income for people.
Speaker 6 (16:24):
Right.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
And anybody takes the haircut they're going to feel it.
So it's a big issue for us, and I think
we you know, some of our bartenders have also raised it,
and I think legitimately as a safety issue, right, because
you know, maybe one thing to be selling hot dogs
from a machine, but you know, our bartenders are trained
in safety, right, They're trained in identifying miners, identifying fake IDs,
(16:48):
They're trained in identifying people who have been over served,
right and probably shouldn't be drinking and maybe should go
watch a couple of more innings at baseball before they
get another beer, right, And the machines can't do that stuff.
And I think there's also a concern that our members
have in addition obviously to the income thing, which is
the biggest concern, right, but a concern they have around
(17:10):
around safety issues, given that you know, they get told
you guys are the first line of defense for somebody
getting overserved.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
The other thing too, Bob, And I want to get
Bob to comment on this. Bob, every time that automation
comes in and takes a job away, that person may
end up having to go on some form of public
relief and they're no longer paying taxes and supporting the economy.
They are, you know, taking what they deserve to take,
(17:39):
particularly as someone who might have play paid into unemployment insurance.
But it bothers me when I go into a supermarket
and there's one line open that has an actual clerk
at a counter, and there's five or six kiosks and
twenty people are waiting in line to go to these
automated keys. I assume you're a kiosk guy, Bob, Right.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
No, I'm not really, but I just think you can't.
You're not going to stop the kiosks and the automation.
And I can see, you know, Armac giving you guys
a couple of bucks more an hour, but for you
guys to demand them not to install kiosks, I think.
I think you're dreaming. And I think that you know,
(18:25):
when the off season comes and you guys put them
in a bad position, you'll see probably double the kiosks
next season and less employees. So I think, I mean,
that's the way these guys play the game.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Okay, yeah, they well, the the the venture capital folks
come in and they they're able to execute what they
call economies, but what other people call job cuts. Hey, Bob,
I appreciate you having the coverage to raise that issue.
It's an interesting issue, that's for sure. Appreciate it, Bob,
thank you much. But I calls again, how can folks
(19:03):
support the union? Again? It's important to me, and yeah,
I hope it's more important to my audience.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Go ahead, Yes, I think you know a couple of things. One,
if if there is another strike, which you know, I
think there might be, given where we're at in the bargaining,
we again would ask folks, you know, please enjoy the game,
but please don't buy in your food or drink when
you're at the park. I think the other thing is,
(19:31):
you know, I know there's a lot of folks who
are fans of the Red Sox who listen to your show,
if anyone, and we know this from fans that our
members know, right, a lot of the regular season ticket
holders have some relationship with the Red Sox, right because
they're spending a decent chunk of change right to go
to see the games, and so any any outreach that
could be made just just say, hey, could you please
(19:53):
settle this right? This is important to me as a
fan that this kind of gets resolved.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
I want to make sure that the guy who's cooking
the hot dog gets a fair cut, right. I think
you mentioned before, you know, down the street at Boston University,
it's an air Mark account and the guy's cooking hot
dogs make six dollars more an hour, right, And that's
sort of how we talk about this, and so I
think anything a fan could do to reach out. And
(20:19):
then also, honestly, if you're going to the park and
you're just a casual fan, go to one of our members, right,
anybody who's serving food, or anyone who's serving drinks, those
are our members, or selling t shirts, those are our members,
and just tell them you support them. I can't tell
you how many of our members have come to me
and just said how happy they were to hear fans
socks and Dodgers fans coming off to them and saying
(20:41):
how much they supported them. While they won't strike it, it
really needs a lot.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
You know, you mentioned that the guy who's selling the
guy or gal who's cooking hot dogs at at Boston
University making six dollars more than the folks at Fenway Park.
I'll bet you that the hot dogs. I just my
instinct is that talks a lot more expensive retail to
the customer at Boston University of Hockey and Basketball games,
(21:07):
uh as ther Fenway Park.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Yeah, I think you're right, Carlos.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Best of keep us posted. I again, I know a
lot of your folks are working tonight, but I'm going
to talk about this in the next half hour, and
I hope some of them want to call in and
back up what you had to say. And I wish you,
I wish your success and uh and thanks for fighting
for your membership.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Well, thanks so much, and thanks for the opportunity to
come on the show.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
So you're welcome. Than Carlos ram Mao, the head of
the local twenty six Fenway concessionaires. And again, it's a
it's kind of an interesting situation, which is one of
the reasons I wanted to talk with Carlos. We had
we did a couple of hours on the strike back
in late July on a night when I think they
(21:53):
were prepping for the for the strike the next night.
So this is a strike, but it's almost a sporadic strike.
And I'd love to have you join in. If you're
Red Sox fans, if you go to Fenway Park, will
you have second thoughts about buying that beer? Buying that
hot dog. Now, once you've heard Carlos, do you feel
(22:14):
that or doesn't matter? Maybe it doesn't matter to you.
Maybe you would just as soon see a million kiosks
and maybe a few people walking through the stands. I
think to go to a ball game and to be
able to sit in your seat and not have to
wait thirty minutes. You paid a lot of money to
go to the ball game, and to have somebody to
(22:35):
come by with whatever you're looking for, whether it's a
hot dog or a pepsi or a coke or a
beer or an ice cream or whatever, and buy something
for your family and still enjoy the game. Maybe give
a couple of bucks to the vendor. I think that's
what the experience of Fenway Park or any major league
stadium in any sport should be about. You don't want
(22:57):
to spend a couple of innings standing waiting in line
at a kiosk. So uh, I have wide open lines
six and I always get a little disappointed when I
see that, because I am always trying to find issues
and topics in different issues and different topics that are
of interest to you. We are going to talk tonight
(23:19):
beginning at ten o'clock about Jeffrey Epstein and this long
saga which seems to be coming to a head, but
we're going to get to that after ten. So I
hope to hear from some of you right now at
six one, seven, two, five four, ten thirty six one seven,
nine three one ten thirty. I think it's a bigger
issue than ben Waite Park. I think it is people
(23:41):
in the lower end of the economic totem pole who
are seeing their jobs eating up uh and taken away.
And you can make a bit of a statement when
you go to a to a Red Sox game if
you think I'm just all wet and dead wrong, bring
it on six one, seven, two, five four to ten
thirty six, one seven, nine thirty Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Well, it's interesting I had I never worked at Fenway Park.
I worked a lot of entry level jobs as a kid.
My first job was working in a stop and shop
in Hyde Park and Truman Highway. I was making I
think a dollar and a quarter an hour back in
the day, and it was it instills in you the
(24:30):
idea that hey, you can work for a living, you
can earn some money. If I could have worked at
Fenway Park, for me, that would have been nirvana, to
be inside the ballpark watching games and selling hot dogs
or whatever. But it's hard work. It's hard work, and
I'm sure, like anyone else anything else, you get a
job at an ice cream parlor and eventually you say
I've had enough ice cream. And I'm sure all of
(24:53):
these men and women who are working there, whether again
it is a primary employment or more likely is that
side hustle, that extra job, it means something to them,
and we can make a difference here. I I don't
see why you wouldn't. I hope you don't look down
your nose at the person who is carrying that beer
(25:13):
and ice around, bringing you a cold beer on a
hot Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park, or someone bringing a
hot dog to your kids in a Friday night. I
don't want to, you know, wax romantic about it, but
I think it is. It's part of Americana, and I'd
hate to see it go away. And that's why I
think this particular workstoppage, if you want to call it
a periodic strike, a sporadic strike, whatever you want to
(25:35):
call it, a strategic strike. That's fine, but feel free
to express your opinion. Let me go next to I'm
going to go to Donna in Quincy. Hey, donnae your
thoughts on this the strike of Femily.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Hey, how are you?
Speaker 2 (25:52):
Dan?
Speaker 7 (25:54):
I have to have done great. I have to agree completely.
This is a kind of a big deal for me.
My dad worked at Fenway Park when he was sixteen,
cleaning the place up, and my grandfather put up the
cit go sign. So I tell my Yeah, I tell
my kids and my students, that's like going to church
for me, going into Fenway, Now, you know, it's really
(26:17):
it is that kind of experience for us. But I noticed,
you know now that I'm a parent and a teacher
who sometimes brings kids to Fenway Park. Having that experience
of having someone come over to the seats that I
don't have to get up, I don't have to wait
and lie, I don't have to miss the game is
a really big deal. You know. I like to support
(26:39):
workers anyway, But the past two years we took kids
to Fenway Park on a field trip to the end
of the school year. NASA was there. It was a
great I thought it was going to be great, like
NASA and the Red Sox Are you kidding me? And
in the end, after the feedback, the kids said that
they wouldn't go back because the lines were too long
(26:59):
and the food was too expensive. They hadn't opened up,
you know, put enough people on and they had some
kiosks on and the kids didn't want to do it.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Yeah, it changes the experience in my opinion, and it
makes it different. But I'd love to hear from some
people who were inside the ballpark during that Dodger series,
and did you think about the concessionaires? Did you think
when you went up and bought that whatever. I'm not
even sure. I haven't been to a Fenway in a while.
(27:31):
I don't know what a beer is at Fenway Park anymore.
I've heard it as much. Some people have told me
twelve Some people have told me fourteen dollars, Hey, your
twenty eight dollars, get your case of light. Of course
light thirty pack. So where they're selling two for in
the equivalent of what it would cost you were me
(27:51):
in a liquor store to buy a pack of thirty
cores or whatever. Your flavor beer is very much making
some profit on this, that's for sure. They could spread
it around a little bit.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
Yeah, yeah, thanks so much. First time caller, Thank.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
You, thanks, first time caller.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
Yeah, well, hey.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
We want to give you. So many people are reluctant
to tell us their first time callers, which I don't understand. No,
we like to acknowledge that, and we like to look
forward to your next call, to your second time call.
No applause the second time, but you were in your
applause tonight.
Speaker 7 (28:29):
Okay, thanks Tom, Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Jan good six one seven four ten thirty six one
seven nine three one ten thirty. I think this is
an important story. I think there are implications for your
kids in the jobs that they might take again. My
first job as a bag boy, I stood. At the
end of the matter of fact, I still pack my
(28:52):
own groceries when I go to stores. I prefer to
do that because there is a science to it. You
put the heavier things on the bar, you put the
things on the bottom of the bag that weigh the most. Yeah,
And I will say to him, to the baggers these days,
I'll say, hey, you can deserve a break. I used
to do this professionally. Give me a chance to do it,
(29:13):
and I always try to do it as geometrically well
as I can. I don't want to. If it's one bag,
I want to fit it all. If it's more than one,
I want to balance it. There's every job has dignity.
I don't care what it is, and we need to
recognize the dignity of the job in the person. Let
me go to bow Down in the South Shore. Bo
you were next on Nightside. Welcome, how are you, bo?
Speaker 8 (29:36):
Hey Dan, it's been a while. Love your show?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Well, thank you. I appreciate that.
Speaker 8 (29:41):
As far as I mean, it's an honorable job. It
doesn't matter whether it's you know, the ber thing or whatever.
But I'm pretty much stat it with the gas station attendant.
You remember them, you used to come, and I mean
I was one of them years ago. But now they
have people pumping their own gas, and well, I.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Still go to a gas station on Route in. I
think it's technically Wellesley. Gary runs the Victory gas station
right on Route nine westbound, just after you clear uh
and they had the best price. And there there's always
(30:17):
someone out there pumping your gas, ready to wipe your windshield.
And I always throw a bucket two at him and
say thank you very much. Because I save on the
gas and where I am down down here on the Cape,
I go to another gas station. You know what I
paid for gas on the Cape last week at the station,
full service station?
Speaker 3 (30:38):
No how much?
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Take a guess?
Speaker 8 (30:40):
Uh three bucks a gallon?
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Cents?
Speaker 8 (30:45):
Yes, Well, there's there's a difference between people just trying
to make a buck and people basically trying to provide
a service. And that's the thing. I mean, it's sunway
back thing. I mean, somebody with a slide rules has
decided that they can make more money by putting in
kiosk and if people have to wait in line, they
have waiting customers because they know customers are going to
want beer. And I can't blame the people. I can't
(31:05):
blame the people who. I mean, this is their livelihood
in many cases, and that's an honorable job. I mean,
it's one of those things you don't know what you've
got until it's gone. And the trouble is, right now
people have become so accustomed to doing, you know, to
some of these changes. But it's not just this. It's
like this is happening, especially with the AI that's coming,
you know, so that it's going to be coming a
lot of people are going to be you know, they're
(31:27):
going to be phased out, and it's like, okay, they're
phased out, what do they do? What kind of job
do they do when every job they're doing is being
phased out by you know, mechanization or you know, computers
or something along those lines. So I mean, there has
to be some sort of a balance. And you can't
blame these people for going on strike. I mean if this,
you know, this is what they were doing, and this
(31:48):
is their job and all of a sudden they told well,
we don't need you anymore. I mean, you know, and
they're forcing it. I mean, there's absolutely no question that
I would rather have somebody come up to me and
say would you like this? Which you are you know
person the personal touch, but we've become so impersonal. And
from from a money's point of view, I mean, the
management is basically taking the cost of providing something with
(32:13):
the personal touch versus the cost of something in a kiosk.
It's not even a question. So from you know, from
the guy with the slide rule, who's going to say, well,
how do we do this and how do we make
money for the shareholders? It's going to be. You know,
it's an inhuman thing. But eventually, all these people who
are literally being put out of jobs, you know, they
what are they going to do? I mean, you know,
(32:34):
what's a guy who's this is this is his libry,
this is what he does, and all of a sudden
he's on the unemployment line, and you know he's going
to have to find a job somewhere else. And what
you're going to be doing a job somewhere else, He's
going to be competing with somebody who's already lost their job.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Well. The other thing, too, is if you're if you're
fifty five years old, people are going to look at
you and say, well, you know you contacts your old
dog new tricks, I love you. What was the line
you won't regret something, you won't miss it until it's gone.
Speaker 8 (33:04):
You don't know what it's got. You don't know what
you've got.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Someone's gone.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:07):
That was that was? What song? Was that from? You
should be a lyric for a song?
Speaker 8 (33:12):
I know, I think it was a melody or something
that don't always seem to go that you don't know
what you have?
Speaker 3 (33:17):
So what's gone?
Speaker 8 (33:19):
They paid paradise and put up a pack I mean,
and you're right, you're.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Right, look at all of these and as they say,
just the experience at a ballpark the but it's not
just who shows you to your seats. They don't have
those movie theaters anymore.
Speaker 8 (33:38):
And exactly, and for those of.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
Us who can pay whatever it is fifty bucks to
go to a Ruin a Red Sox game, or more
to go to a Bruins or a Celtics game, give
me the s for a couple of bucks and say
thank you. They you know, kind of clean off your
seat or whatever.
Speaker 8 (33:54):
Again, it's but they've taken The thing is, management has
taken what was a service industry and they've turned it
into you of providing your own service. And you're paying
a little bit less, but they're making a help a
lot more. And the trouble is there are going to
be a lot of people unemployed because of it. I mean,
and there's a difference.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
I believe.
Speaker 8 (34:13):
It was a guy named Tafla who wrote a book
called Power Shift, and basically it's a there's always a
there was always a constant changing in the social dynamic
of things expanding and things contracting. The trouble is when
you have so many things contracting at once. It's going
to create a god if you have to say a
thousand let's just say you have a thousand people who
(34:35):
used to doing a beer or you know, they're what's
the word conception consis concessionaires exactly. You know, if you
have to say a thousand consessions or all of a
sudden out of a job, I mean, there's going to
be an abrupt imbalance in the whole social fabric. And
there's you know, you can't there are certain things you
(34:56):
can legislate and certain things you can't legislate. And unless
you have some sort of a way to let the
public know, wait a minute, you know you're you're you're
putting us out of we are we no longer have
jobs so you can save a couple of dollars. So
it's not the strike that the people you know, providing
the you know, the concession is. It's they have to
make their positions clear to the public so the public
(35:18):
understands it says, I don't want these machines because again
you go, you go to.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
A grocery store and I see all the people going
through the kiosks, and.
Speaker 8 (35:27):
Absolutely, and I do think yet I won't go through.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
Them neither neither will I Hey hate to do this here,
bo I love the call. I got a run though,
because I got I'm past my break. Thank you much.
Speaker 8 (35:37):
Nice chatting when you haven't been a.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Chatting with you? Call again. Coming back on the night Side,
Jack and Dyton is on the other side. He's all said,
if you want to give it a shot. If not,
you can wait until we talk about Jeffrey Epstein and
that can of worms. Who is going to be hurt
the most there and it's going to be some pretty
(35:59):
famous people. Think if it all comes out, do you
want it to come out? I do love to hear
what you think. But we'll talk about that after the.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Ten It's Night Side with Dan Ray, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Next up, Jack is in Dyton, Massachusetts. Jack, welcome to Nightside.
You're next one. Go right ahead, sirp Okay, is Jack
not there? If Jack isn't there, Rob, let me know.
I introduced him, and if he's decided, if he's asleep
or whatever, we will move on. Let me know. If
he's there, not there, Okay, Jack. If for some reason
you get disconnected, you want to try to call back
(36:34):
real quickly, that's fine. Six, one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. Uh,
we lost Jack. Jack could have been in a car
and that would have been it. So uh that I
think will wrap up our conversation on the concessionaires. Wish
more people had wighed in. I don't know that the
(36:54):
the concessionaires have as much empathy as I thought they
would have. That's my frustration because I think that if
the Era Mark was listening tonight, they might say, well,
they didn't generate a lot of people who were saying, Hey,
I'm going to go to Fenway Park. I'm going to
this game that game, but I'm not buying a hot dog,
I'm not buying a beer. So frankly, from Aramark's point
(37:17):
of view, they might say, gee, most people aren't concerned
about it. And you may say, well, I don't work
at Fenwhite Park, so therefore why should I be concerned
about it? Well, what can be done to people at
Fenwaite Park can be done to whatever job you might
be employed by. Oh, there are certain jobs where you're
always going to need individuals. I think, for example, teachers,
(37:40):
it'll be tough to have AI robots come in and
teach kids in schools. I I guess that's kind of tough.
It's going to be tough to have rerit Sox players
or Yankee players to be AI individuals or robots. Maybe
someday there will be a robotic league. I don't know,
(38:00):
but they they are going to be able to replace
people in some of these service industry jobs. And I
think that's that is so sad, and I think it's cruel.
Grab that last call there. See if we get one
more person to be a little bit empathetic at least
to the plight of the workers. Because again, if you
(38:22):
don't care about other workers, maybe it will be your worker,
your your business someday that will be impacted. Let me
go to Louis in Manchester, New Hampshire. Louis, I got
you in here. We're kind of lake garright ahead.
Speaker 9 (38:36):
I love listening to your show. And I don't think
it's a black and white issue. But Dan Well, I
have to say that in the last twenty twenty five years,
customer service in all areas has declined greatly.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
I think that there are some of the high end
restaurants where you have great customer service, but you pay
for that but you're right customer service generally. I I've
gone into, like you know, some of the big box store.
I don't go through them anymore. I go to local
hardware stores. I used to go to the big box
stores and you'd ask people for a can you tell
me where this is? And and they were wearing the
(39:16):
orange apron or whatever, and they'd look at you like
and they would I would say, I'm really sorry to
bother you. I thought you worked here. Oh I do
work here, but you weren't able to help me, so.
Speaker 9 (39:26):
I can I another analogy, Dan, I drove a cab
for twenty eight years twenty fourteen twenty fifteen, Uber and
Lyft decimated the cab industry.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
And now uber lift is going to bed. Now uber
lift are going to be decimated by Weimo, no.
Speaker 9 (39:44):
Whatever, they're going to be decimated by. It's all for
the better of the consumer, because most of us just
don't have any time to waste.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
I guess, I guess it's sad. But but Waymo's gonna
wipe out Uber and Lyft, by the way, they're concerned
about when waymold the cars that are automatic with no drivers. Louis,
thank you for calling in late You saved me here
for the last minute, but I'm flat out of time
and i gotta let you run. Thank you, my friend.
I appreciate it more often appreciate it. Thank you. Well.
(40:17):
We get back when we talk about Jeffrey Epstein. Do
you want to know everything? And do you want to
know everything about everybody? Those are the questions coming back
on Night Side.
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