As the World Cup kicks off 11 June, hospitality and food service workers in several US cities hosting World Cup games also seek a bite of the massive, low hanging financial pie inherent in the mundial.
They have warned of looming labour disputes and possible strikes ahead of the largest single sport tournament in the world.
Cashiers, dishwashers, cooks, bartenders, concessions workers and food attendants at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, could walk off the job at any time.
Diaspora research, demographic reports, and workforce data estimate that thousands of Nigerians work in the US hospitality and leisure sector.
About 2,000 workers at the SoFi Stadium represented by their union, Unite Here Local 11, voted 96% in favor of a strike authorization as workers are seeking a new union contract with wage increases and protections from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Members of the union include immigrants from nearly 200 countries, including Nigeria; the union traces its foundation back to the 1912 Bread and Roses strike of textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, organized by immigrant founders of the union.
The US’s opening match, against Paraguay, is scheduled to take place at SoFi Stadium on 12 June.
“We’re just trying to make things fair,” said Eva Miles, a bartender at SoFi Stadium since it opened in 2021.
“Without us, they don’t have a stadium. Are they going to cook? Are they going to pour those drinks? Are they going to serve these people?,” Miles questioned.
Miles said she and her coworkers cannot afford to live near the stadium on the wages they’re currently paid. She commutes two hours to work every day and said some coworkers have even longer journeys.
“Let’s see them live on our wage, let’s see them raise a family,” added Miles. Workers are pushing for pay above $30 (about N41,000) an hour. “I’ve been there since the beginning. I love meeting new people. I want my guests to be happy, and I want them to enjoy it and have a great experience. I know they spend a lot of money, and I know they’re spending a lot of money on this FIFA World Cup, so I don’t understand why we can’t get what we want and everybody be happy.”
The unions, ACLU of Southern California, and LAANE, have also filed a formal complaint with California Privacy Protection Agency and the California Department of Justice, over FIFA’s accreditation policy that requires workers to divulge immigration information in order to work this summer’s World Cup.
General Vice-President for immigration, civil rights, and diversity at Unite Here, Enrique Fernández, noted many members of the union are immigrants who will be working at hospitality venues across World Cup host cities.
“They experience the effects of anti-immigrant policy and rhetoric every day, and they don’t need the added stress of tracking ICE agents at their workplaces,” said Fernández.
SoFi Stadium declined to comment when reached by the Guardian UK, deferring to the concessionaire that employs the workers, Legends Global.
“Legends Global has enjoyed a strong relationship with Unite Here Local 11 for more than a decade and remains committed to reaching a fair agreement through good faith negotiations,” said a spokesperson in an email. “We look forward to delivering an outstanding hospitality experience for fans at the FIFA World Cup matches at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium).”
In Seattle, hotel workers represented by Unite Here Local 8 at the Embassy Suite Hilton near Lumen Field, where six World Cup games will be held, voted 94% in favor of a strike authorization.
Around 100 workers at the hotel are fighting for pay increases, year-round health insurance coverage, ICE protections and improved staffing.
“We need the wages to improve,” said Hayden Eyerly, a front desk employee at the Embassy Suite Hilton.
He noted the hotel has only offered raises of around $0.80 an hour annually over the course of the contract. “No one here thinks that is reasonable, because of the rising cost of everything, gas prices in particular.”
He said some workers in the unit regularly lose health insurance during tourism offseason due to a loss of work hours and argued that staffing levels at the hotel haven’t recovered to their pre-pandemic levels.
Eyerly noted many of his coworkers are immigrants, and had been advised by their immigration attorney to refrain from speaking to the media out of concern for retaliation toward their immigration status.
“Everyone is very tired. Every department has been working on a skeleton crew,” added Eyerly. “We’re trying to make real changes, a real positive impact in our lives. We all deserve to work one job, we all deserve to come home and have the energy to be there for our families.”
A Hilton spokesperson said the hotel has contingency plans in place if a strike does occur.
“We remain committed to negotiating in good faith to reach a fair and reasonable agreement that benefits both our valued Team Members and our hotel,” they said in an email.
In Philadelphia, workers at six hotels represented by Unite Here Local 274 are threatening possible strikes during the World Cup games in the city as their union contracts have expired without another agreement in place.
A strike deadline for 12 June has been set by the hotels if new deals aren’t reached by then.
Maciah Magloughlin, a server at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District, said workers are pushing for substantial wage increases, a workload cap of 15 rooms for housekeepers, protections from ICE for immigrant workers and more affordable health coverage for dependents.
“The hotels have the money to give us what we deserve,” said Magloughlin, who cited the projected $770m economic impact of the World Cup for the Philadelphia area.
“What we’re fighting for is that the people who hold this industry up on their back also get a piece of that, because people are fighting to send their kids to school or take time off or buy groceries, and that’s not fair, especially when we’ve got such a big summer coming,” he explained.
The Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District said in a statement on the strike threat as negotiations for a new union contract are ongoing: “We respect our team members’ rights to engage in legally protected activities and look forward to reaching a fair contract. While discussions are ongoing, we remain committed to ensuring our guests enjoy their stay.”
FIFA declined to comment, stating the contract disputes do not involve it.
The body did not comment on the other labor action threats or its ICE accreditation policy.
