The players of the WNBA have spoken.<\/p>\n
The Women\u2019s National Basketball Players\u2019 Association executive committee announced Thursday that the players\u2019 union has been authorized to call a strike \u201cwhen necessary\u201d as contentious collective bargaining agreement negotiations remain ongoing.<\/p>\n
A \u201chistoric\u201d 93 percent of the players participated in the vote, with 98 percent voting yes.<\/p>\n
The WNBPA said the decisive outcome is \u201can unavoidable response to the state of negotiations with the WNBA and its teams.<\/p>\n
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty wears a shirt saying \u201cPay us what you owe us\u201d prior to the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cTime and again, the players\u2019 thoughtful and reasonable approach has been met by the WNBA and its teams with a resistance to change and a recommitment to the draconian provisions that have unfairly restricted players for nearly three decades,\u201d the union said in a statement. \u201cThe players\u2019 vote is neither a call for an immediate strike nor an intention to pursue one.<\/p>\n
\u201cRather, it is an emphatic affirmation of the players\u2019 confidence in their leadership and their unwavering solidarity against ongoing efforts to divide, conquer, and undervalue them. Let it be known. The players remain united, resolute, and prepared to fight for their value and their future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the WNBA \u201cstrongly disagreed with the WNBPA\u2019s characterization of the current state of negotiations\u201d which the league suggests \u201cfundamentally misrepresents\u201d the ongoing discourse between the parties.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s difficult to understand claims that the league is resistant to change, particularly given that we are proposing numerous CBA modifications including significant immediate salary increases and new uncapped revenue-sharing model that would ensure continued salary growth tied to revenue growth,\u201d the WNBA said in a statement. \u201cThe WNBA remains steadfast in its commitment to reaching an agreement as soon as possible. \u2026 We have negotiated in good faith and with urgency.\u201d<\/p>\n
The latest proposal from the WNBA includes a maximum base salary starting at $1 million that\u2019s projected to rise to $1.3 million with the league and team revenue sharing component included, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. <\/p>\n
The average salaries in the first year are projected to be more than $530,000 and the minimum salary to be more than $250,000 in the first year, sources said. <\/p>\n
Napheesa Collier #24 of the Minnesota Lynx warms up before the game against the Phoenix Mercury. NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Over the length of the proposed agreement, the maximum salary could rise to nearly $2 million, and average salaries to $770,000, according to sources.<\/p>\n
The WNBA has not had a work stoppage in league history, and the vote is only one step in the multiphase process.<\/p>\n