Dodger Stadium franchise workers threaten strike ahead of All-Star game

Dodger Stadium franchise workers threatened to strike in the days leading up to the All-Star Game.

The union representing these workers, Unite Here Local 11, announced in a press release Monday that “99%” of employees voted in favor of the strike, adding that a strike could happen “at any moment.” A representative for Levy’s restaurants did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dodger Stadium will soon host the first All-Star game in 42 years, starting with the Futures Game on Saturday, the Home Run Derby on Monday and the main event on Tuesday. The Dodgers will go on a five-game road trip ahead of the festivities.

Dodger Stadium franchise workers are employed by Chicago-based Levy Restaurants, which, according to Unite Here, employs nearly 1,500 food servers, bartenders, ward staff, chefs and dishwashers at Dodger Stadium. Unite Here Local 11, which represents more than 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona, did not provide details about the workers’ demands, saying only that it was “seeking to negotiate a new, fair union contract.”

“Stadium staff are proud of the role they play in providing the best possible gaming experience for fans,” Susan Minato, co-chair of Unite Here Local 11, wrote in a statement. “They are the backbone of our tourism and sports sector, yet many struggle to stay in housing and make ends meet. They often live in economic uncertainty because the quality of jobs varies from one stadium to another. No worker should continue to live like this.”