With opening day at the new Minnesota Twins ballpark approaching, UNITE HERE Local 17 has settled a first contract with the new ballpark's concessionaire.

The two-year agreement between Local 17 and Delaware North Companies Sportservice will cover approximately 500 workers. The contract covers vendors who work the stands, as well as staff for concessions, retail stores and novelty sales.

In addition, Local 17 won two separate neutrality agreements from Delaware North for future efforts to organize workers in the ballpark’s restaurants and private suites. The agreements mean the employer will recognize Local 17 as the bargaining agent for those workers when a majority of workers in the unit sign union authorization cards.

“We feel really good about the new relationship” with Delaware North, said Nancy Goldman, Local 17 president. She said Delaware North, based in Buffalo, New York, also has contracts with UNITE HERE at several other ballparks around the United States.

Goldman said Local 17’s contract with the concessionaire at the Metrodome — Centerplate — was the starting point for the new contract with Delaware North. “They took the rates that were already negotiated,” she reported.

Goldman said the vendor rates negotiated are “considerably higher” than Delaware North’s vendor rates at other venues. “They came a long way to reach a settlement,” she said.

“They hired all of the workers who wanted to work [at the new ballpark] from the Metrodome,” Goldman added. That totaled about 200 workers, she said, and another 300 new workers have been hired.

“They’ve already hired everybody,” Goldman said. “They’ve started the training.”

Reporting to delegates at the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation’s March 10 meeting, Goldman assured everyone: “Wally the Beer Man and all those guys are going to the new ballpark.”