More than 70 Elected Officials from around the United States and Union Leaders from New York’s Labor Movement have sent letters to Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner Adam Silver that call on the League to bargain in good faith with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA).
The New York State AFL-CIO has joined with the Georgia State AFL-CIO, the Indiana State AFL-CIO, the Washington State Labor Council, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and others in the Labor Movement in voicing support for WNBPA Members during their contract negotiations.
The New York State AFL-CIO letter contained signatures from 25 Unions and Labor Councils and urged the WNBA to settle a deal before the October 31st contract expiration deadline.
Women’s Professional Basketball has been on a roll, enjoying record growth and it keeps getting better – and the WNBA recently signed a massive TV contract, merchandise sales have increased and attendance has reached historic levels, Union Officials said.
Yet, the Players responsible for that growth don’t get a single share of all that revenue – and that’s at the center of a contract fight that has the attention of the entire Union Movement.
As such, WNBPA Members are fighting for wages that reflect the increased revenue that games have generated, improved working conditions and better investment in Players’ futures.
New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento released the following statement: On behalf of the 2.5 million Members of the New York State AFL-CIO, a letter was sent to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, calling on her to negotiate in good faith with the Players’ Union to reach a fair and equitable contract. The WNBA has experienced record growth over the past two years, securing an 11-year, $2.2 billion television contract, increasing merchandise sales and significant increases in attendance, including right here in New York at the New York Liberty regular-season games. Yet the players responsible for this growth do not receive a single share of that revenue, a stark contrast to the significant role they play in the League’s success. That needs to change. The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) is not alone in this fight. They have the unwavering support and full resources of the New York State AFL-CIO at their disposal. We are committed to standing with the Players for as long as it takes to reach an agreement that genuinely reflects their invaluable contributions to the WNBA.
Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.