Dodger Stadium concession workers have threatened a strike in the days leading up to the All-Star Game.
Unite Here Local 11, the union that represents those workers, announced in a news release on Monday that “99%” of the employees voted in favor of going on strike, adding that one could occur “at any moment.” A representative for Levy Restaurants did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Dodger Stadium will soon host its first All-Star Game in 42 years, beginning with the Futures Game on Saturday, the Home Run Derby on Monday and the main event on Tuesday. The Dodgers will navigate a five-game road trip ahead of the festivities.
Dodger Stadium concession workers are employed by the Chicago-based company Levy Restaurants, which, according to Unite Here, employs nearly 1,500 food servers, bartenders, suite attendants, cooks and dishwashers at Dodger Stadium. Unite Here Local 11, which represents 32,000-plus hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona, didn’t provide specifics on the workers’ demands, saying only that it is “seeking to negotiate a fair new union contract.”
“Stadium workers are proud of the role they play to bring fans the best game experience possible,” Unite Here Local 11 co-president Susan Minato wrote in a statement. “They are the backbone of our tourism and sports industry, yet many struggle to stay housed and to make ends meet. They often live with economic uncertainty because the quality of jobs vary stadium to stadium. No worker should have to continue living like this.”
The Major League Baseball Players Association said in a statement that it “stands in solidarity” with the concession workers.
“Like thousands of ballpark workers across the country, Local 11’s members are a vital yet underappreciated part of what makes our game great. They deserve to be treated fairly and will continue to have the 1,200 members of the MLBPA behind them,” the players’ union said.
Source: www.espn.com