Food News
Seamark said the decision was due to “economic challenges.” The labor union thinks the decision was retaliatory.
Seamark Seafood & Cocktails, the ritzy seafood restaurant inside the Encore Boston Harbor casino and hotel, is closing, laying off 56 workers who voted to unionize less than a month ago.
The eatery from Carver Road Hospitality is shutting down for good on March 29, nearly two years after it opened. Its reason for closing, according to reporting from The Boston Globe, is because of “economic challenges.”
“While the team remained optimistic that improving market conditions in 2025 and into 2026 would allow the business to turn the corner, those expectations ultimately did not materialize,” a statement to the Globe said. “As the first quarter of 2026 comes to a close, ownership determined that continuing operations was no longer economically sustainable.”
But UNITE HERE Local 26, a hospitality workers’ labor union that Seamark’s workers had voted to join, claimed in a press release that the decision to close the restaurant was retaliation against newly unionized employees. Less than a month ago, 38-7 voted in favor of joining UNITE HERE, followed by a certification of the results earlier this month. Workers had not yet started bargaining for their first contract.
“Less than a month ago, I was with my co-workers listening to them sing me ‘Happy Birthday’ as we celebrated our vote to unionize. I could see a better future for my co-workers, my family, and my dad, who I am the primary caregiver for,” said Kim Vasquez, a server at Seamark, in a statement. “I can’t believe Carver Road and Seamark didn’t allow us to come to the table and partner in ways to make this restaurant the best it can be for all of us. I’m also gutted that in two weeks, I have no idea how I’ll be paying for myself or my dad, and this doesn’t feel fair.”
The labor union’s press release also claimed that Seamark engaged in an aggressive union-busting campaign through a website, seamarkelectioninfo.com.
The website featured a note from Seamark that suggested employees “consider both sides” and posted information dues, UNITE HERE, and other frequently asked questions.
In the press release, the union made a point to mention that they don’t know “whether Encore management knew about and/or approved the Seamark shutdown.”
“But if they were unaware of what is going on under their own roof,” the press release continued, “should they be entrusted with overseeing gambling, liquor, and the safety of the Everett community?”
Carlos Aramayo, president of UNITE HERE Local 26, told the Globe that they hope Encore will take over the shuttered Seamark and continue to employ its workers. UNITE HERE already represents around 1,200 hospitality workers at Encore, while another 200 employees are part of Teamsters Local 25, according to a Globe story from 2023.
Boston.com reached out to both Carver Hospitality and Encore for comment but didn’t hear back in time for publication.
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