LOS ANGELES, June 7 — Workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles have voted overwhelmingly to authorise a possible strike during the World Cup, just days before football’s global tournament begins.
LOS ANGELES, June 7 — Workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles have voted overwhelmingly to authorise a possible strike during the World Cup, just days before football’s global tournament begins.
The Unite Here Local 11 union, which represents around 2,000 stadium food and beverage staff, is seeking higher wages as well as assurances that federal immigration officers will not be permitted inside the venue.
About 96 per cent of voters supported the strike mandate, giving workers the option to walk off the job at any time, with the World Cup set to kick off on Thursday.
“Contract negotiations with stadium food service operator Legends Global and FIFA have not made significant progress on key economic and workplace safety issues,” the union said in a statement.
Further talks are scheduled for tomorrow, ahead of the first World Cup match on US soil on June 12 at SoFi Stadium.
Cooks, bartenders, dishwashers and other staff are represented by Unite Here.
SoFi Stadium — the world’s most expensive sports venue, opened in 2020 at a cost of over US$5 billion (RM20.15 billion) — will host eight World Cup matches.
“If we’re forced to strike, those US$100,000 FIFA suites will have nothing but bottled water and Doritos,” said union co-president Kurt Petersen.
The union is also demanding that workers be allowed to strike if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents enter SoFi during World Cup matches and create what it called a “reasonable fear for their safety.”
ICE has drawn criticism from human rights groups over enforcement raids in several US cities, including Los Angeles.
Workers have also raised concerns about being required to submit personal information to FIFA for World Cup accreditation, amid fears it could be shared with ICE.
“The FIFA World Cup will generate huge profits, but we are still fighting for basic respect and security,” said stadium bartender Cesar Zamora in a union statement.
“We deserve better, and if that means going on strike, I’m ready.” — AFP
PARIS, June 7 — US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned yesterday that Europe was facing what he described as an “invasion” of dangerous ideologies arriving by sea, drawing a link between immigration and the legacy of the D-Day landings during remarks in Normandy.
PUTRAJAYA, June 7 — The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) has begun monitoring operations following reports of a mysterious bright light spotted in Sabah’s airspace earlier this week.
IPOH, June 7 — Hiker Jaslinda Saludin, 49, who was found safe after going missing for 14 days during a trek at Gunung Batu Putih near Tapah, recounted how she survived in the forest without carrying any food or water.