Striking LA hotel workers ask Messi, Inter Miami to stay elsewhere

LOS ANGELES : Striking workers at a Los Angeles hotel have appealed to Inter Miami and their captain Lionel Messi to stay away from their establishment when the team arrive for a match against LAFC on Sunday.

Employees at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica began picketing on Wednesday, joining thousands of hotel workers across the region who have gone out on strike this summer seeking better wages amid soaring housing costs.

"We have learned that Inter Miami and the great Lionel Messi are coming to Los Angeles this week for a match against LAFC on Sunday," Unite Here Local 11 said in a statement.

"As housekeepers, cooks, bellmen and servers, we ask Lionel Messi and his team mates to stand in solidarity with us and stay out of the Fairmont Miramar."

Inter Miami did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the union said they have not heard back from the team.

Argentine Messi, widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, has been a huge attraction since joining Major League Soccer last month and tickets for Sunday's match range from $834 to $17,000 each, according to ticket retailer Gametime.