Food service employees at a major California stadium have secured a preliminary contract agreement, preventing a potential work stoppage just days before the World Cup kicks off.
Labor representatives announced the preliminary agreement during a Tuesday press conference, with employees scheduled to cast their votes on the contract Wednesday. The labor organization representing 2,000 food service staff including bartenders, servers, kitchen workers and dishwashers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, had approved strike authorization the previous week after negotiations with Legends Global, the venue’s food service contractor, reached an impasse.
Employees represented by UNITE HERE Local 11 had been pushing for wage improvements, job security protections against subcontracting, and workplace safety measures given increased immigration enforcement activities under President Donald Trump’s administration.
“This is a very proud moment for all of us,” said Yolanda Fierro, a suite runner at the stadium. “We really want to secure the safety of all our employees.”
Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, explained that workers maintained strike rights in the event of immigration enforcement actions at their workplace under the new agreement. He noted this was the final outstanding issue during company negotiations.
“No other collective bargaining agreement in the country preserves the right to strike in response to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids and attacks,” he said. “We hope we never need to use that right.”
The international soccer tournament is anticipated to bring millions of spectators to venues throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico during the 39-day competition this summer.
SoFi Stadium will host eight tournament games, beginning with Friday’s matchup between the U.S. and Paraguay.
