New MLS proposal won’t cut player salaries
Major League Soccer has submitted a new proposal to the MLS Players Association that won’t cut their salaries, but wants a two-year CBA extension.
Last Tuesday, Major League Soccer decided to invoke a “force majeure” clause that obligates the league and the MLSPA to negotiate the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) agreed back in June when the league announced the MLS is Back tournament.
This decision was made by the MLS commissioner Don Garber because the league’s clubs have lost nearly $1 billion this season, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the stadiums being closed to the public.
Players disagreed
The Major League Soccer Players Association was not happy with this decision, so one week later the league submitted a verbal proposal confirming that they won’t cut their salaries for the 2021 MLS season, but want a two-year CBA extension. The league wants to extend the CBA until 2027 due to the million-dollar losses.
This new proposal would save Major League Soccer roughly $110 million over the life of the CBA, according to Yahoo Sports. Also with this new verbal proposal the league compromises to pay 95% of the players salary for the upcoming season.
"According to public health officials, the restrictions on attendance at live sporting events will continue far into the 2021 MLS season,” MLS president and deputy commissioner Mark Abbott said in a statement provided to Yahoo Sports.
“In 2020, despite MLS and its clubs suffering extraordinary and unsustainable losses, players received 95 percent of their salaries. To address the ongoing impact of the pandemic in 2021, MLS is proposing to extend the term of the existing collective bargaining agreement for two years rather than seeking any salary reduction. This proposal will help ensure the long-term health of the league while paying MLS players 100 percent of their salaries.”