Committee members for the WNBA’s Player Association expressed their concerns regarding a new collective bargaining agreement in a three-page letter to the union’s executive director, Terri Jackson.
According to ESPN, the letter’s primary concern was a “lack of adequate player involvement in the process.”
The WNBA’s Player Association has been negotiating new terms for a collective bargaining agreement, which are due March 10.
Kelsey Plum and Breanna Stewart are the writers of the letter. They said, "We are frustrated that we have not made more progress as we near the March 10 deadline, and we believe this is a result of a breakdown in communication between you and the Executive Committee and players more broadly."
"When we and other players have attempted to express concerns about negotiations, we have been made to feel as though we are acting against the interests of the PA," the letter continued. "Many other players across the league feel these same frustrations and have expressed them to us, but feel afraid or unable to speak out."
Adding to the stress of these negotiations, which have been ongoing for nearly 18 months, is the WNBA’s impending two-team expansion and league draft, scheduled for April 13.
Following the receipt of Plum and Stewart’s letter, Jackson held a meeting with players on Tuesday. Sources told ESPN that the issues raised by Plum and Stewart were discussed at the meeting and a survey was distributed to poll the players’ thoughts on the collective bargaining agreement.
While the collective bargaining agreement is still not finalized, the players’ association has celebrated recent wins, including revenue-sharing payments for the first time in the league’s history. Despite that victory, leaders from the players’ association said it would still “keep a strike on the table” if negotiations do not proceed.
