LA stadium workers authorize possible World Cup strike

LOS ANGELES: Food and beverage workers at SoFi Stadium have voted by a wide margin to authorize a possible strike just days before the FIFA World Cup begins in the United States.

Unite Here Local 11, which represents around 2,000 workers at the Los Angeles venue, said 96 per cent of those voting backed the strike authorization. The union said its members are seeking improved wages as well as guarantees that federal immigration agents will not be allowed into the stadium.

In a statement, the union said talks with stadium food service operator Legends Global and FIFA had not made meaningful headway on major economic and workplace safety issues. Fresh negotiations are scheduled for Monday, ahead of the first World Cup match on US soil on June 12 at SoFi Stadium.

The union represents cooks, bartenders, dishwashers and other stadium staff. SoFi Stadium, which opened in 2020 at a cost of more than $5 billion, is due to host eight matches during the tournament.

Union co-president Kurt Petersen said workers could walk off the job if negotiations fail. “If we’re forced to strike, those $100,000 FIFA suites will have nothing but bottled water and Doritos,” said union co-president Kurt Petersen.

Unite Here Local 11 has also demanded that workers be permitted to leave work if Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel come to SoFi during World Cup games and create what it described as a reasonable fear for their safety. Workers are also worried about having to provide personal information to FIFA in order to receive World Cup accreditation, amid concerns that the data could be shared with ICE.

ICE has drawn criticism from human rights groups over raids in several US cities, including Los Angeles. A stadium bartender, Cesar Zamora, said the tournament would produce major profits while workers were still pressing for basic dignity and protection.

"The FIFA World Cup will generate enormous profits, but we are still fighting for basic respect and security,” stadium bartender Cesar Zamora said in a statement provided by the union. “We deserve better, and if that means going on strike, I’m ready."