On Wednesday evening, leaders from the Democratic Women’s Caucus hosted a call with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association urging the WNBA to improve the tenor of negotiations in an effort to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement.
The Oct. 31 deadline for the league and WNBPA to reach an agreement is less than two months away.
“What our members are fighting for is pure and simple: a salary system that is based on the revenue that they are driving with their labor,” WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson said.
On the call were elected officials including congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico’s 3rd congressional district, congresswoman Angie Craig representing Minnesota’s 2nd congressional district, and congressman Greg Stanton representing Arizona’s 4th congressional district. AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler kicked the conversation off calling for the league to “pay the players what you owe them,” before turning the mic over to Jackson.
WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike spoke next, emphasizing Jackson’s point that the players are behind the record-breaking growth of the league and need to see that reflected in their salaries. Other players on the call included Alysha Clark, Brianna Turner, Elizabeth Williams, Kayla Thornton, Rachel Banham, and Bridget Carleton.
In addition to Wednesday’s call, 85 members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus and House Democratic Caucus signed a letter addressed to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert encouraging the league to negotiate in good faith in order to reach an agreement by the deadline. The letter also expressed concerns regarding the league’s delayed response and varying accounts on the status of negotiations.
The league did not immediately return FOS’s request for comment.
“I have not spoken directly with ownership on this,” Stanton said. “Frankly anyone who knows my history in Phoenix, city councilman, mayor, longtime local elected official, they know my heart is with the Mercury and my heart is with the players.”
Craig hasn’t spoken directly with team ownership, either, but she mentioned her support of the WNBPA at a recent rally hosted by the Minnesota AFL-CIO outside of the Target Center on Aug. 16. A video shared to Facebook showed Craig alongside fans—who held signs that said “Pay the Players”—and WNBPA senior advisor and legal counsel, Erin Drake.
Wearing the same shirt players donned during the WNBA All-Star Game, which read “Pay Us What You Owe Us,” Drake addressed the crowd.
“In our union we understand the power of the collective voice is what makes us stronger,” Drake said. “We are stronger together than we are when we are alone. These players are demanding a fair share of the business that they have built and that they sustain.”
One source close to negotiations told FOS last month that an extension of the deadline will likely be necessary to avoid a work stoppage.
Craig said missed games would have an “enormous” economic consequence on the Minneapolis market and the state of Minnesota.
“We are filling up our arena every game,” Craig said. “We’ve had an outstanding season here throughout the course of the year. All around the country you’re seeing people come out to cheer on their home teams, but also to witness the competitive and amazing talent this league has.”
Stanton added to Craig’s point saying missing games would lead to a significant amount of lost revenue for small business owners who made the decision to locate their establishments near PHX Arena.
“The X-Factor are hardcore,” Stanton said. “They get out to the games early and enjoy going to restaurants and bars afterwards. With expansion in the number of games that means that would be over 20 games in the heart of downtown Phoenix where 12,000 people or more attend those games. They can’t replace those nights.”
