Labour negotiations between the WNBA and the players’ union hung over the All-Star weekend, as a dazzling showcase of the league’s progress unfolded amid growing frustration from the women on the court in Indianapolis.
More than 40 players attended the negotiations this week, including star rookie Paige Bueckers from the Dallas Wings, who said it was her first time at the negotiating table.
“It’s been powerful, and I think we’re going to continue to fight for that because the proposal that they gave back to us was kind of disrespectful,” she said.
The WNBPA admonished the league after the latest meeting on Thursday, local time, saying the WNBA had failed to “address the priorities we’ve voiced from the day we opted out”.
Players in October voted to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement, once seen as a landmark deal for women’s sports, but now viewed by many players as woefully inadequate amid a surge of popularity in the WNBA.
Swarmed by reporters on Friday as part of a pre-All-Star Game media availability, WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said she felt the meeting was a missed opportunity.
“Yes, we’re celebrating amazing growth, but I think it’s not lost on us that we’re living the growth as we’re negotiating our worth,” she said. “The fans know what we’re worth. Now we need the league to know what we are worth.”
Reached for comment on Friday, the WNBA pointed to a statement commissioner Cathy Engelbert provided to the Associated Press on Thursday, calling the meeting “very constructive dialogue”.
Engelbert is expected to meet with members of the media on Saturday for a press conference.
Ogwumike said there had been no direct conversation about a work stoppage but that union leadership cautioned players over the possible outcomes of a failed negotiation.
“What we want to do is negotiate a good deal,” she told reporters.
“But we also wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t let players know, ‘Hey, the league is in a different place. We’re in a different place. Just be prepared for anything that can happen.'”
Reuters
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