Everything We Know About Target Field Concession Workers' Strike

The Minnesota Twins return home Monday for one of the marquee series on their 2026 schedule, when the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers arrive at Target Field. Instead of the spotlight focusing solely on baseball, however, much of the attention could center on a labor dispute involving the stadium's concession workers.

More than 500 Target Field employees represented by UNITE HERE Local 17 have announced plans to stage a one-day strike on June 22, as negotiations with concessions operator Delaware North continue. The dispute centers on wages, health care benefits, job protections, and the use of volunteer workers throughout the ballpark. If the strike proceeds as planned, union officials say it would be the first strike at a major-league stadium in Minnesota history.

What We Know About Monday's Strike

The planned walkout involves approximately 500 workers employed by Delaware North, the company that operates food and beverage services throughout Target Field. The union represents workers across nearly every part of the stadium's concession operation, including cooks, bartenders, suite attendants, warehouse workers, dishwashers, stand workers, runners, and other hospitality staff.

The strike is scheduled for Monday's series opener against the Dodgers, one of the highest-profile home games remaining on the Twins' schedule. The teams are also scheduled to play Tuesday and Wednesday.

Workers have been operating under an expired contract since January while negotiations continue. In May, union members voted 81% in favor of authorizing a strike if bargaining efforts failed to produce a new agreement. According to union leaders, the one-day strike is designed to pressure Delaware North back to the negotiating table after months of stalled discussions.

"We've been in contract bargaining and the workers here have been committed to bargaining in good faith," said UNITE HERE Local 17 Secretary Treasurer Sheigh Freeberg. "Unfortunately, their employer, Delaware North Company, has not held to that same commitment."

Freeberg indicated the union could consider additional actions if negotiations remain stalled.

"We're keeping open the possibility of striking more games or an open-ended strike if Delaware North continues to not take this seriously," he said.

The Union's Position

Union leaders argue that many Target Field concession workers are struggling financially, despite years of service at the ballpark. Workers say wages have failed to keep pace with rising costs, while many seasonal employees do not qualify for employer-provided health insurance. Those concerns have become the central issues in negotiations.

"A cheeseburger costs more than what we get paid," said concessions stand lead Nariel Green in an interview on KARE 11. "All the prices go up, but our pay doesn't."

Suite bartender Adam Schreifels, who has worked at Target Field for a decade, pointed to health insurance as one of the primary reasons workers are willing to strike.

"One of the biggest issues is that they don't offer health insurance," Schreifels said. "Because you work seasonal at a lot of these places, you don't qualify."

Workers also emphasized that many employees view concession work as a long-term profession, rather than a temporary job.

"This is a real career," said suites department employee Missy Simon. "The majority of us are over the age of 40. This isn't a high school kid's career."

Warehouse worker Savion Johnson echoed similar frustrations, while noting his appreciation for both the organization and the work.

"I love this. I love the Twins, one of my favorite teams," Johnson said. "A lot of people want to work, but we're out here struggling."

Following the strike announcement, the union said Delaware North improved its wage proposal, offering raises of 25 cents per hour for minimum wage employees and 60 cents per hour for other workers. Union representatives have indicated that those increases still fall short of what workers are seeking, though.

The Debate Over Volunteers

One of the more public disagreements between the two sides involves Delaware North's use of nonprofit volunteer groups to help operate concession stands. Freeberg argues the practice reduces opportunities for paid employees and undermines the value of skilled hospitality work.

"The practice also devalues the skilled work food and beverage workers do," Freeberg said. "Philanthropy does not have to come at the expense of the workers who help fans enjoy every game."

The issue became a focal point of Delaware North's response following the strike announcement.

Programs whereby (usually) parents staff concession stands in exchange for portions of the revenue generated in order to raise money for extracurricular activities go back decades, both in Minnesota and elsewhere. For many families, though, even the help those programs offer has dwindled, due to the rising costs of the activities their children participate in and to the watering-down of the revenue sharing those programs receive from partners like the Twins and Delaware North. It's a bad deal on both ends, but especially so for workers trying to make this part-time work part of a piecemeal living.

Delaware North's Position

Delaware North has pushed back against several of the union's claims, while maintaining that fans should expect normal concession operations during Monday's game. After union leaders encouraged fans to bring their own food and beverages, warning that food may not be available for purchase, Delaware North disputed that characterization.

"It is our full intention that we will continue full-service concessions at Target Field should there be a strike," the company said in a statement.

The company also criticized the union's position regarding nonprofit volunteer groups that use concession work as a fundraising opportunity.

"If Unite Here's greed insists on displacing nonprofit fundraising, we believe the community will be deeply impacted," Delaware North said. "The decades-long partnerships we have with community groups that depend on concessions at Target Field for fundraising is something that reflects the values of the fans and residents of Minnesota."

The company has not publicly provided additional details regarding ongoing negotiations, and their vociferous statements about the value of those fundraising programs aren't matched by a notable willingness to ensure the programs actually meet the needs of the volunteer families. Much more so than in the past, those volunteer partnerships feel like the company's effort to kill two birds with one stone: keeping labor costs down, while tooting their own horn with regard to community involvement.

What Happens Next?

As of this writing, the Twins have not publicly commented on the labor dispute. Because Delaware North operates concessions at Target Field, the negotiations are taking place between the company and the union rather than directly with the Twins organization. However, any disruption during a high-attendance series against the Dodgers would inevitably place additional attention on the club and the fan experience at the ballpark.

The biggest question remains how Monday's game day operations will be affected if hundreds of workers leave their posts. For now, both sides remain far apart publicly, even as negotiations continue. The timing of the strike announcement ensures maximum visibility, coming during one of the Twins' most anticipated home series of the season.

Whether Monday becomes a one-day labor action or the beginning of a larger dispute may depend on what happens at the bargaining table over the next several days. What is clear is that a disagreement that has simmered since the expiration of the contract in January has now become one of the biggest off-field stories surrounding the Twins this season.