A restaurant in Boston is closing weeks after its employees voted to unionize.

Seamark Seafood & Cocktails, which opened in the hotel lobby of Encore Boston Harbor less than two years ago, will shut its doors at the end of March and lay off 56 workers, according to Unite Here Local 26.

The "pier-to-plate" restaurant offers seafood dishes such as tuna tartare, grilled swordfish, double clam chowder and raw local oysters, according to its menu. A hidden speakeasy, dubbed Old Wives' Tale, is located inside.

Carver Road Hospitality, which operates Seamark, did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Thursday, March 12. Encore directed any inquiries to Carver Road but provided a brief statement, pointing toward financial issues as the reason for the closure.

"In order for any business to look after their employees, their revenue needs to exceed their expenses. Consequently, we respect the right of Seamark to make a decision that it believes is in the best interest of its business," Encore Boston Harbor said.

In February, Seamark employees voted 38-7 to join Local 26, which represents about 14,000 hospitality workers in the Boston region. They had not yet begun bargaining for their first contract when they were notified of the closure, said Carlos Aramayo, the union's president.

Seamark workers who voted to unionize sought affordable health care and pay comparable to what Encore's unionized employees earn, Local 26 said in a press release.

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In a phone interview, Aramayo said Carver Road "ran a very aggressive anti-union campaign," which included a website called SeamarkElectionInfo.com. The website outlined the voting process and encouraged staff members to "do your own research and ask tough questions of both sides."

"Union organizers are permitted by law to make broad claims about what they might be able to accomplish on your behalf. They are not required to support these claims with evidence or facts," the website said. "Conversely, Seamark managers are not permitted to make any promises about what we might or might not do if you vote YES or NO for UNITE HERE."

"While we are limited in what we are allowed to say, we can assure you that transitioning from a non-union to a union environment has a significant impact on any organization. This would be especially true at Seamark," the website continued.

Staff members ultimately voted for the union, and 10 days after the votes were certified, the restaurant announced its upcoming closure, Local 26 said.

Kim Vasquez, a server at Seamark, said she has "no idea" how she will continue making money for herself and her family when the restaurant closes.

"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," Vasquez said 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."

Aramayo said Sinatra, the restaurant that previously occupied the space, was unionized, and that Encore has the capacity to "step in" and take over operations at Seamark.

"There's an opportunity here for Encore Boston Harbor to do the right thing," Aramayo said in an interview. "It's a space that they've operated before, and they could operate it again starting tomorrow."

In a statement, Aramayo said the union trusted the casino when it said it wanted to bring thousands of jobs to the area. Now, he "can't help but notice they've not gotten there, and the jobs continue to be cut when the workers unionize."

"If Carver Road and its partners cannot, or will not, uphold basic labor standards for its tenants, we believe they are failing in their responsibility to the community," he continued.

The state's Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development has not received a WARN notice, but said its staff has been in contact with the company to support impacted workers.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Boston hotel restaurant closes after union election, cutting 56 jobs