Unions: No support for railyard stadium without labor vote for food service workers

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http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2016/11/07/unions-no-support-for-railyard-stadium-without.html

Unions: No support for railyard stadium without labor vote for food service workers

Nov 7, 2016, 6:01pm PST Updated Nov 7, 2016, 6:15pm PST

The Sacramento Central Labor Council AFL-CIO released a letter to the Sacramento City Council formally opposing a Major League Soccer stadium in the railyard.

The letter to council members states the unions can’t support the project if soccer club Sacramento Republic FC won’t allow future stadium food-service workers the right to organize for union representation.

“We have been talking to the Republic through a representative for months, and we really thought we would be on pace for this to happen,” said Ty Hudson, a researcher for Unite Here Local 49. The union represents food and beverage workers, and local president Chris Rak is one of the signatories to the letter. “Just recently, it’s become clear that they’re not willing to make a commitment.”

Hudson said the ability to organize would make the difference between poverty-level jobs and good ones for future stadium workers. Other MLS stadiums in California, as well as Golden 1 Center, have union-represented workers, he said.