SoFi Stadium workers have voted on strike action just days before the United States opens its World Cup campaign against Paraguay in Inglewood.
The venue is set to host the USMNT’s first game of the tournament on June 12th, with the World Cup itself beginning one day earlier. That should make SoFi one of the centerpieces of the opening week, but labor tensions are hanging over the build-up.
Workers have been pushing for better pay, job security and stronger protections around immigration enforcement at the stadium. After negotiations failed to settle the dispute before the weekend, the union confirmed its members have voted yes.
SoFi Stadium workers vote to authorize strike as World Cup opener nears
The situation was already tense before the vote. USA Today reported that spectators at World Cup games scheduled for SoFi could be met by workers on a picket line if a strike goes ahead.
Kurt Peterson, co-president of workers’ union UNITE HERE Local 11, told the Los Angeles Times: “It could get ugly, yes.”
They represent around 2,000 workers at SoFi, and the key issues raised included a demand for a substantial raise to more than $30 an hour, along with a request to keep ICE out of the stadium.
The more recent update from NPR confirmed that workers voted 96% in favor of authorizing a strike.
UNITE HERE Local 11 said: “Workers could walk off the job at any moment if their demands are not met.”
Yolanda Fierro, a union member who works at SoFi, told NPR: “Fans from around the world will come expecting an unforgettable event, and we take pride in making that happen.
“But no worker should have to fear being separated from their family or worry about dangerous ICE activity while simply doing their job. We deserve to feel safe, respected, and protected at work.”
Negotiations are scheduled to continue Monday, so there is still time for a deal. But with the USA opener edging ever closer, the threat of a walkout creates an uncomfortable backdrop for the biggest game in recent USMNT history.
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