USWNTPA brands US Soccer’s gender equal contract proposal a “PR stunt”
The USWNTPA says the United States Soccer Federation’s offer of identical contract proposals for both men and women is simply a publicity stunt.
The US Soccer Federation (USSF) announced its offer earlier this week,”with the goal of aligning the men’s and women’s senior national teams under a single collective bargaining agreement (CBA) structure.”
U.S. Soccer Federation offers identical contract proposals to Women's and Men's National Team Players Associations https://t.co/yRKPdNJoKX
— U.S. Soccer Comms (@ussoccer_comms) September 14, 2021
The United States Women’s National Team Players Association said on Twitter that “USSF’s PR stunts and bargaining through the media will not bring us any closer to a fair agreement.”
“In contrast, we are committed to bargaining in good faith to achieve equal pay and the safest working conditions possible. The proposal that USSF made recently to us does neither.”
USSF's PR stunts and bargaining through the media will not bring us any closer to a fair agreement. In contrast, we are committed to bargaining in good faith to achieve equal pay and the safest working conditions possible. The proposal that USSF made recently to us does neither. https://t.co/lzchRa0hea
— USWNT Players (@USWNTPlayers) September 15, 2021
USWNT sues for gender discrimination
The USWNT sued the federation two years ago, with charges of gender discrimination in pay and in many other factors in their playing environment.
Soon after they filed the lawsuit, the team won their fourth World Cup, as their supporters chanted “equal pay” during the final game.
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The USWNT demanded $66 million in damages under the Equal Pay Act, but the lawsuit was dismissed. The team has appealed the decision.
The team’s existing CBA is set to end in December this year, whereas their male counterparts have been performing under the terms of an agreement that had lapsed three years ago.
USSF: Let's equalize World Cup prize money
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The federation also said any labor agreement should move towards equalizing FIFA World Cup prize money between the US Men’s National Team and the USWNT. They called upon the players and their unions to join the USSF in looking for a way to remove the discrepancy between the two sides.
FIFA had offered prize money totaling $30 million to the teams in the 2019 Women’s World Cup, while the men’s winnings amounted to $400 million in 2018.