Stadium workers near LA say they have a tentative deal, averting strike ahead of World Cup

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INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Southern California stadium workers who threatened to strike for the U.S. men’s soccer team's opening World Cup match said Tuesday they expect to stay on the job after reaching a tentative contract deal with higher wages and more labor protections.

The union representing 2,000 bartenders, servers, cooks and dishwashers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, announced the deal at a news conference Tuesday. It came after workers last week voted to authorize a strike as contract talks had stalled with the stadium’s food service provider, Legends Global.

Workers said they wanted wage increases, protections from subcontracting and security on the job amid ramped-up immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration. The tentative contract will give stadium cooks among the highest wages for the job in the country, with many earning $40 an hour in about two years, said Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, which represents the workers.

“Economically, it is the strongest agreement at any NFL stadium,” Petersen told reporters outside the stadium near Los Angeles, while workers cheered. “In short, we won every major issue that we brought to the table.”

Workers will vote Wednesday on whether to ratify the deal.

The contract would last through April 2028 — just ahead of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles — and includes protections against subcontracting and a contribution to build housing for hospitality workers. Some cooks currently make about $31 an hour and will see their hourly wages rise over the next two years to $38 or $39, said Islagisbel Castillo, 21, a suite cook on the bargaining committee.

“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.”

In a statement, Legends Global said the company was pleased to reach an agreement with workers and looks forward to providing “an outstanding hospitality experience” at the World Cup matches in Inglewood.

One of the key sticking points in contract negotiations that wrapped up Monday, Petersen said, was workers' demand for security on the job from immigration raids. Community and union groups have raised concerns about the potential for federal raids during the World Cup, but Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna last week said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had assured him federal authorities would be at matches to assist with security, not civil immigration enforcement.

Under the deal, Petersen workers retained the right to strike in case of an immigration raid at work. He said it was the last issue on the table in 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 World Cup is expected to draw millions of fans to matches across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, over 39 days this month and next.

Eight matches are scheduled for SoFi Stadium, starting with Friday’s match between the U.S. and Paraguay. The stadium, which opened in 2020, seats 70,000 people and is home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.

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Taxin reported from Santa Ana, Calif.