SoFi Stadium workers and Legends Global, the hospitality company at the stadium, reached a tentative contract agreement that averted a strike just days before the World Cup opening game at SoFi.
This decision came after UNITE HERE Local 11, the union that represents about 2,000 of the workers at SoFi, voted 96% in favor to authorize a strike. Workers demanded higher pay, protections from subcontracting, and security from ICE and Border Patrol presence at the games.
“Everything we put on the table, we won. We won spectacular increases, people will have a lot more to pay rent, it’s a magnificent contract,” said Kurt Petersen, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11.
This contract includes the largest increases for stadium workers in history, allowing workers to support themselves, according to a press release from UNITED HERE Local 11. The minimum wage for non-tip will now be $40 an hour. Legends Global will also make a multimillion dollar contribution to a fund to develop housing for the hospitality workers. There are also restrictions on AI and automation included, to safeguard worker jobs.
Over the term of the contract, there will be a 75% reduction in subcontracting, resolving a main concern for the union. Workers are also not required to provide immigration status, Social Security Numbers or country of origin, prohibiting FIFA’s accreditation demands.
The initial concern arose from the emphasis of U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations officers at the World Cup.
“[Federal immigration agents] will be out there everyday. Fighting against counterfeit tickets, human trafficking, drug smuggling, counterfeit products. They're going to be working hand-in-hand along with CBP along the way,” said Markwayne Mullin, DHS secretary in a video posted on X.
These ICE crackdowns have set stadium workers on edge.
After voicing concern about federal immigration agent presence, workers earned the right to strike if the union feels worker safety is threatened.
“Once you have a contract, you do not have the ability to strike. We won an exception to that because we are in an exceptional situation,” Petersen said.
This was the last issue the company ceded on. He expressed that union members' safety is more important than anything else.
Olga Arellano, a cook at SoFi stadium, says this contract agreement is only fair because of the hard work they do.
“[Es] una gran responsabilidad de preparar los alimentos, no es fácil para cumplir, a veces hay presión, ” said Arellano to L.A. TACO.
“[It] is a great responsibility to prepare the food; it is not easy to fulfill, and sometimes there is pressure.”
With events mainly held on weekends, Arellano’s time with family has been impacted over the five years she’s worked there serving other families, she says.
“No es fácil atender a 70,000, 60,000 personas, somos no más de 200 en la cocina principal,” Arellano told L.A. TACO.
“It’s not easy to serve 70,000 or 60,000 people; there are no more than 200 of us in the main kitchen.”
Arellano hopes the hard work of hospitality workers are recognized. She adds that the union will be keeping an eye out for federal immigration officials entering the stadium, and potentially threatening workers.
