The Los Angeles Dodgers and Service Employees International Union United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW) came to terms on two new Collective Bargaining Agreements, avoiding a potential strike by Dodger Stadium workers.
The new five-year contracts cover approximately 450 stadium workers, including ushers, security officers, ticket takers, ticket sellers, hospitality team members and groundskeepers. Full-time employees and ushers are bound by separate contracts.
Under the new agreements, the lowest paid day-of-game employees at Dodger Stadium will receive total wage increases between 45% and 50% over the lifetime of the five-year contracts.
“We are happy to have reached an agreement with SEIU-USWW,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement. “These new contracts confirm the strong working relationship that exists between the Dodgers and SEIU-USWW, and we thank David Huerta and the other union representatives for their collaboration throughout the negotiation process.”
The aforementioned stadium employees had been without a contract since January 31. As several months of negotiations failed to produce a new deal, a group of Dodger Stadium workers protested at the Vin Scully Avenue entrance ahead of a game against the New York Yankees.
Union leaders threatened to strike if a new contract was not agreed to by the end of June.
“I’m proud of all of the members of our union, SEIU-USWW, for their hard work and strong organization,” SEIU-USWW executive board member and usher Irene Aguilar said. “Thank you to the Dodgers for working with us to reach a fair agreement that will benefit stadium workers for years to come.”
Dodger Stadium concession workers signed new contract
This is a second instance in the past year in which Dodger Stadium workers threatened to strike amid tense contract negotiations.
Last July, 99% of Unite Here Local 11 union employees, which represent Dodger Stadium concession workers who are part of Levy Restaurants, voted to go on strike. They planned to impose that leading up to 2022 All-Star Game events or during them.
However, the stadium workers agreed not to strike as the Dodgers resumed contract negotiations with Levy. The sides proceeded to reach an agreement and 98% of the workers voted to ratify a new contract with Compass Group and Levy Restaurants to bring raises to food servers, bartenders, suite attendants, cooks and dish washers.
The new deal amounted to 75% of Compass/Levy workers at Dodger Stadium being in position to earn more than $30 per hour by the end of the contract in January 2025.
One key difference between the two situations is the workers involved in last year’s negotiations are employed by Levy Restaurants. Whereas Dodger Stadium workers represented by SEIU-USWW are direct employees of the Dodgers.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
