About 2,000 food and beverage workers at SoFi Stadium are voting on whether to go on strike just before the World Cup, in a dispute that could create a major headache for organisers. The workers have been operating without a contract, and a walkout at one of the tournament's marquee venues would risk significant disruption.
The workers involved span the full range of food and beverage roles at the stadium, including cooks, servers, bartenders, concession workers and dishwashers. Crucially, they do not work directly for SoFi or for FIFA, but are instead employed by a company called Legends Global, which staffs the venue's catering operations.
At the heart of the dispute is pay. The workers are seeking a 30 dollar an hour minimum wage, but according to the report, Legends is allegedly offering them only a 25 cent wage increase. The workers have rejected that figure, setting the stage for the strike vote now underway.
Supporters of the workers argue the demand is far from excessive given the cost of living in California. The report notes that petrol in the state runs at around six to seven dollars a gallon for regular unleaded, while fast food workers already make 20 dollars an hour as a minimum, framing the 30 dollar request as modest by comparison.
Pay is not the only grievance. The workers also object to FIFA demanding their Social Security numbers and their fingerprints in order to carry out background checks for security clearance to work inside the stadium during the tournament, which they view as an intrusion.
For its part, FIFA says the background checks are necessary for the security of the stadium, given the scale of the event and the crowds expected. The governing body has also sought to distance itself from the pay fight, saying the matter is between the union and the company that actually employs the workers.
Despite the standoff, talks have not collapsed entirely, and the two sides are reportedly still discussing a possible deal even as the ballot proceeds. The workers are voting today and tomorrow, with neither side wanting to see concession staff walk off the job and end up picketing outside as the World Cup approaches.