LOS ANGELES, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Workers at SoFi Stadium, located in Los Angeles County, California, voted overwhelmingly Friday to authorize a potential strike just days before the venue is set to host FIFA World Cup matches, raising the possibility of a labor disruption at one of the tournament's highest-profile U.S. sites.
The workers, represented by Unite Here Local 11, voted 96 percent in favor of authorizing a strike, according to the union and multiple news reports. The vote does not guarantee a walkout, but it gives union leaders the authority to call one if contract talks fail to produce an agreement before the first scheduled match at the stadium on June 12.
About 2,000 hospitality workers -- including bartenders, servers, cooks, catering staff and dishwashers -- could be affected. The dispute centers on wages, job protections and security concerns. Union leaders say workers want pay reflecting the cost of living in Los Angeles, premium pay for mega-events such as the World Cup and safeguards against subcontracting and automation that could reduce union jobs.
Workers also have raised concerns about immigration enforcement and the personal information that FIFA's workers are required to reveal during the badge accreditation process after Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna announced earlier this week that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security told him federal authorities would be present at matches to "help with security."
Kurt Petersen, the labor union's co-president, said if an agreement isn't reached, workers will walk off the job and the 70,000 fans arriving for the June 12 match between the U.S. and Paraguay will be greeted by hundreds of picketers, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Legends Global, the company that handles hospitality operations at SoFi Stadium, said it remains committed to reaching a fair agreement through negotiations.
The labor dispute comes at a sensitive moment for Los Angeles organizers. SoFi Stadium is scheduled to host eight World Cup matches, including the U.S. men's national team's opener against Paraguay. The venue, home to the NFL's Rams and Chargers, has been central to Southern California's preparations for the monthlong tournament, which will be staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Public reports in recent days have described a widening standoff between the union, Legends Global and FIFA. Workers say some recent proposals included minimal wage increases for some classifications and wage freezes for others. The union has also said it wants workers to have the right to leave the job if immigration enforcement officers enter the stadium and create what it describes as a reasonable fear for worker safety.
The broader concern for organizers is whether a strike, even a short one, could disrupt concessions and premium hospitality services as fans begin arriving from around the world.
Negotiations are expected to continue before the opening match. For now, the strike vote increases pressure on both sides while leaving open the possibility of a settlement before any walkout begins. But with the World Cup about to start, the dispute has become an early test of whether one of its showcase venues can avoid labor turmoil on the eve of the world's premier football tournament.
