The WNBA and its players won’t reach a new CBA agreement by Friday’s deadline, entering a ‘status quo’ period. What happens now? What does that mean?
Under ‘status quo,’ the working conditions established in the current CBA would remain unchanged. It allows both sides to continue negotiations. The current agreement also prevents the WNBA or its players from engaging in a work stoppage without giving proper notice.
‘Obviously, we’d hoped that we would be a lot farther along than we are, because it’s been about (15) months at this point, but at the same time, we have to stay strong in what our values are and what we’re standing for,’ Minnesota Lynx forward and vice president of the players association, Napheesa Collier, told ESPN. ‘The players feel really united right now. We’re waiting for the league to come back, and we’re not going to accept a bad deal. We’re waiting for the league to come back and respond to our thoughtful and reasonable proposals.’
‘We’re just going to continue to negotiate in good faith,’ said New York Liberty forward and co-vice president of the players’ union Breanna Stewart on Thursday.
In December, WNBA players voted to strike if the CBA negotiations remained at an impasse. However, Stewart maintains that asking for a strike is ‘not something that we’re going to do right this second, but we have that in our back pocket.’ From the league’s perspective, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports that the WNBA has no plans to lock out its players.
As the two sides continue negotiations past the Jan. 9 deadline, they remain apart on player salaries and revenue sharing, including whether revenue is shared from the WNBA’s gross or net. The WNBA’s latest offer included a structure in which players would receive more than 70% of net revenue and a maximum salary of $1.3 million in year one. The max salary could then grow to $2 million over the span of the agreement. Additionally, the average salary would eclipse more than $530,000, growing to more than $780,000 over the life of the deal. The minimum salary would initially increase to $250,000.
Still, the union’s executive director, Terri Jackson, told USA TODAY Sports that no one should believe the WNBA’s latest offer is a ‘good deal.’
‘The players know the difference between doing business and creating clickbait,’ Jackson said in a statement. ‘They are focused on the system. Despite what the league and the teams are trying to do, the players are not confused by the numbers. The players want a meaningful share of the revenue they are creating. They want to be properly valued in these negotiations and this next CBA. They do not want to be paid last with only a fraction of the dollars left over.’
The WNBPA announced this week that it created global ‘player hubs,’ allowing players to continue training and keep their fitness levels high in the event of a work stoppage. Universities such as Stanford, Cal and UNLV are opening their doors to WNBA players. Fitness centers operated by Bay Club and Exos will do the same.
Even with many moving parts and a strike not out of the question, Stewart remains optimistic about both sides eventually reaching an agreement.
‘While we are both seemingly far apart, there is a place where we can come and find a mutual ground,’ she said.