Workers at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, fueled by a long-simmering dissatisfaction with their current contract terms, have taken a significant step toward labor action. An overwhelming majority, 83%, of the Aramark employees represented by Unite Here Local 274 voted yesterday to authorize a strike on the eve of Labor Day, as reported by CBS News Philadelphia. Echoing this move, Aramark workers at Lincoln Financial Field have also begun to cast their ballots, and the union anticipates announcing those results by Friday.

The workers' demands are to secure wages and healthcare benefits that can adequately sustain a family in an ever-tightening economy. According to 6abc, employees seek to standardize the contract language across all three major Philadelphia sports venues – Citizens Bank Park, Lincoln Financial Field, and the Wells Fargo Center – arguing for equity despite Aramark's differing rules and wage rates. The strife to achieve what they argue should be a given right is mirrored in the actions of workers at the Wells Fargo Center, who already voted to strike earlier in April.

Response from the employer was swift, with a statement emphasizing their commitment to negotiations. "We remain committed to bargaining in good faith to reach a settlement that works for all parties. Unfortunately, the union and its members voted tonight for a strike at Citizen’s Bank Park. We have contingency plans in place to ensure our services are not interrupted and that the fan experience remains strong," a representative for Aramark commented in a statement obtained by NBC10 Philadelphia. This assertion came despite the call to action by the workers who believe that their current conditions fall short of what is reasonable and just.