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UNITE HERE Local 11

BREAKING NEWS: DAYS BEFORE WORLD CUP, SOFI STADIUM WORKERS WIN HISTORIC CONTRACT — AND RESERVE THE RIGHT TO STRIKE IF ICE THREATENS SAFETY

UNITE HERE Local 11 reaches tentative agreement with Legends Hospitality covering 2,000 food and beverage workers at SoFi Stadium. Workers retain the unprecedented right to strike if ICE or other federal immigration agencies threaten their safety during the World Cup. Workers will vote to ratify on Wednesday. Full details to be released following ratification.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just days away, UNITE HERE Local 11 announced tonight a tentative agreement with Legends Hospitality covering approximately 2,000 food and beverage workers at SoFi Stadium. The tentative agreement secures massive wage increases, landmark job protections, and groundbreaking privacy rights. Notably, it includes an explicit right to strike if ICE or Border Patrol activity at the worksite threatens worker safety—a provision legal experts say is unprecedented in modern American labor history.

The contract will expire on April 30, 2028, aligning with over 100 other stadium, hotel, and airport concessions contracts that expire before the Olympics.

Key Improvements:

  • Historic wage increases: The largest increases for stadium workers in history, with significant premiums for World Cup and Super Bowl events.
  • Workforce Housing Fund: Legends will make a multimillion dollar contribution to fund to develop housing for hospitality workers.
  • Landmark Job Protections: A 75% reduction in subcontracting over the life of the agreement, enforced by an industry-first penalty mechanism.
  • Restrictions on AI and Automation: No new self-checkout, kiosks, or cashier-less technology can be deployed, safeguarding jobs.
  • Groundbreaking Privacy Rights: Workers cannot be forced to surrender Social Security numbers, immigration status, or country of origin for accreditation of mega events like the World Cup. FIFA’s accreditation demands are prohibited by the contract.
  • Unprecedented Right to Strike: Workers have the contractual right to walk off the job if the Union determines in good faith that federal immigration agency actions threaten worker safety during a World Cup match.

“These workers are heroes. They stood up to FIFA. They stood up to ICE. They won a historic contract, and they are ready for whatever comes during the World Cup. If federal immigration agencies threaten workers’ safety, our members have the right to walk off the job. That is now in their contract,” said Kurt Petersen, Co-President, UNITE HERE Local 11.