Roughly 2,000 unionized hospitality workers at SoFi Stadium voted to authorize a strike Friday, setting the stage for a possible work stoppage as the venue prepares to serve as a key location in the World Cup soccer tournament.
The workers, including cooks, dishwashers, concession workers, bartenders and servers represented by United Here Local 1, voted 96% in favor of authorizing a strike.
While negotiations with Legends Global, which operates food services at the stadium, were scheduled to continue Monday head of the match between Team USA and Paraguay on June 12, workers could walk off the job at any moment if their demands are not met.
“I’m a lifelong soccer fan, and it’s heartbreaking to see that just days before one of the biggest sporting events in the world, our employer is refusing to provide the wages, protections, and contract we need to support our families,” Cesar Zamora, a bartender at SoFi and a union member, said in a statement. “The FIFA World Cup will generate enormous profits, but we are still fighting for basic respect and security. We deserve better, and if that means going on strike, I’m ready.”
The union is calling for wage increases and protections against automation that could replace workers. They are also demanding security assurances, including a prohibition of and involvement of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in World Cup security plans.
Union officials said they are concerned that FIFA — soccer’s governing body — could turn over workers’ personal information to ICE. Since FIFA will control stadiums hosting World Cup games, stadium workers must be accredited in a process that involves them submitting information including Social Security numbers and fingerprints.
The union, in conjunction with the ACLU of Southern California, has filed a complaint with the state calling on Attorney General Rob Bonta to investigate the accreditation process.
According to the union, the most recent contract offer from Legends would actually freeze wages for some workers, while providing others with increases of only about 25 cents per hour annually.