Group of Orioles ushers seek to unionize, eyeing raises, review process

Matt Weyrich, Baltimore Sun on Jun 19, 2026

Published in Baseball

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SEATTLE — A contingent of Orioles ushers has met with organizers from the local chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union in an effort to secure higher wages and gain a larger voice in workplace matters, according to a news release distributed by UFCW Local 27.

Ushers contacted the organizers over the offseason and started meeting with employees at the ballpark about a month into the season, a source with direct knowledge of the discussions told The Baltimore Sun. The group is still in the early stages of mobilizing workers and has several more steps to take before filing with the National Labor Relations Board, but the source expected progress on that front this summer.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of concerns about reprisals, said that the ushers’ pay of $15 an hour, the state’s minimum wage, is insufficient given the current state of the economy and inflation. UFCW Local 27 claimed in its release that ushers for the nearby Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies made between $18 and $20 per hour. A recent job listing to be an usher for the Nationals listed pay at $18.25 per hour.

The organizing ushers are also seeking more defined performance reviews and discipline processes, better offseason communication over whether they will be retained the following year, flexibility in their ability to redeem meal vouchers at Camden Yards and assurances of team giveaways.

“We maintain open lines of communication with our ballpark staff and are always open to their feedback,” an Orioles spokesperson said in a statement.

The Orioles haven’t engaged in any union-busting tactics, the source said, and there have been no organized, union-driven discussions with the team to this point to resolve the workers’ issues. Another source with direct knowledge of the discussions told The Sun that the Orioles recently conducted a “midpoint survey” among its ballpark employees to get their feedback.

“These ushers aren’t organizing because they dislike their jobs. Quite the opposite. They love being part of the Orioles family and helping create one of the best fan experiences in Major League Baseball,” UFCW Local 27 President Jason Chorpenning said. “They’re organizing because they want a voice in protecting the work they care so deeply about.”

UFCW Local 27 organizers have been handing out pamphlets to workers as they enter the stadium for work, and the union hopefuls will need to garner signatures on union authorization cards from the majority of the staff before they can move forward.

“The most encouraging thing about this effort is that it has remained positive from the beginning,” Chorpenning said.

It’s common for ushers at ballparks across MLB to be part of unions, whether individually or in conjunction with other stadium employees. The ushers at Camden Yards work directly for the Orioles, differentiating them from the stadium’s concessions workers, who are employed by a separate third-party vendor.

The Orioles’ staff of ushers includes a mix of retired workers making extra money on the side, college students earning money over the summer breaks and full-time area residents who use the job to make a living. They’re stationed all over the ballpark throughout game days to help ensure safety, security and customer service.

UFCW is an international organization that represents more than 1.2 million workers across the U.S. and Canada, according to the union’s website. Its members come from a wide range of hospitality industries, including grocery workers, meatpacking, food processing, retail, healthcare and pharmaceuticals. The Local 27 chapter represents members in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Delaware.