NWSLPA Ratifies First CBA in Women’s Soccer History
On Jan. 31st, 2022 at approximately 8.30pm ET the National Women’s Soccer League’s Player’s Association announced they had ratified the first ever collective bargaining agreement in women’s soccer history. It is subject to the approval of the Board of Governors. This means the players will not strike and will attend preseason camp on Feb. 1st, 2022.
It took over 40 bargaining sessions to get to this point and it started in the Fall of 2020. Here are some highlights of the CBA which will be made available to the public. This availability and transparency to allow this document to be in the public ensures that everyone, including fans and the media, understand the rules of the game when it comes to the collectively bargained for rights and benefits of the players.
Increasing salary 4% each year with a 60% increase in minimum salary to $35,000 is pretty big. Growth like this with the other benefits listed out will change the game for these players, literally. The biggest part of this compensation section for me is the 401K plan with matching contributions from the league. Being able to have your money matched by your employer is essentially allowing you to make money with the employer’s money. I always put as much as possible into my 401K.
The 4 weeks of severance pay and 30 days of housing and health insurance for waived players ensures these players aren’t just left on the street if they no longer play for a club. They have time to readjust and make another roster. They are in control of their own careers.
Six months of paid mental health leave is crucial as well since these athletes have already gone through so much turmoil in the league. Being able to know you can take time off to take care of your brain and not have to wonder how you will pay your bills is a big deal. Paid parental leave for birth and adoptive parents allows these players to not stress between having a child and having a career.
Allowing the CBA to be made available in its entirety and not gate-keep it, allows everyone to understand and be held to these agreed upon terms.
The players stood together to fight for their rights and to ensure their talent was invested into. Even though they were on the verge of a strike, they stood firm and in solidarity. They were willing to sacrifice in the short term and get uncomfortable, to end up getting what they wanted and needed in the long-term.