UNITE HERE Local 11, a union representing more than 2,000 SoFi Stadium workers, voted to authorize a strike on Friday, a week out from the site’s first scheduled World Cup match.
The union, which is mostly composed of concessions workers, overwhelmingly voted in favor of the strike, which has been looming over the stadium for the last few months.
The existing deal between the union and stadium operators Legends Global already expired. Negotiations ended without a deal after multiple sessions were unsuccessful at securing a new agreement.
SoFi Stadium is scheduled to host eight World Cup matches. The list includes two of the United States’ three group-stage matches, against Paraguay (June 12) and Turkey (June 25) and three knockout-stage matches, one of which is a quarterfinal on July 10.
“SoFi Stadium cashiers, dishwashers, cooks, bartenders, concessions workers, and food attendants have voted 96 per cent in favor of authorizing a strike, meaning workers could walk off the job at any moment if their demands are not met,” the union wrote in a press release on Friday. “Negotiations are scheduled to continue Monday ahead of the USA vs Paraguay match on June 12th.”
If an agreement can’t be reached, a union committee of workers would determine when the strike would take place.
The Athletic reported that the union previously alerted FIFA about the issue this strike would present. FIFA is requiring background checks of all stadium workers at this summer’s event, and any replacement workers should the strike begin would not have prior approval.
The union also asked FIFA to ensure that no U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents be permitted inside the venues during the World Cup out of concern for the safety of its workers.
“Workers must have the right to walk off the job if federal immigration enforcement enters the stadium and creates a reasonable fear for their safety — no worker should have to choose between their job and their freedom,” the press release said.
–Field Level Media
