5 top wnt players accuse ussf of wage discrimination

Perhaps not getting the CBA done in 2016 will, in the long run, for the players, be a good thing. Perhaps having the CBA lapse is an opportunity, not a catastrophe.

..........Going into Year 5, perhaps it is time for the NWSL players to get a bargaining unit started (even if not with universal membership or being fully empowered .........​

 

An Open Plea to USSoccer

O.K., I’m going to be short and sweet……now follow me on this. Attendance at USWNT Matches is a religious experience for me. Through their own actions (or lack thereof), USSoccer may be prohibiting me from the practicing my religious beliefs. Therefore, USSoccer will be denying me the freedom of religion. A clearrrrrrr violation of my civil rights. For the love of all things holy I beg of you, please cease and desist or suffer the consequences. You do not want the possibility of another protracted legal battle that I will undoubtedly win in the end.


My research indicates the quote above was attributed to Benjamin Franklin on July 17, 1778 at a Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce luncheon. An original framer people!!!!! The foresight, the wisdom of that man……genius.

Finally, the last place USSoccer wants to see me is picketing outside their Chicago Offices wearing a sandwich board.

143 Hours 45 Minutes 13 Seconds

 

Just to avoid some wild speculation here in the next few days:

Crucial point of clarification on #USWNT's CBA: When it expires at the end of 12/31/16, terms and remain in place. "Status quo." (Tweet 1/X)

— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) December 23, 2016

Per labor laws, terms of CBA remain in place unless either party gives notice of termination 60 days earlier -- which neither side has done.

— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) December 23, 2016

So when that ball drops on 2017, there won't suddenly be a USWNT without a single player. Only if/when there are 60 days notice.

— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) December 23, 2016

 

Thanks for clarifying about the 60 day notice being per labor laws.

 

Lil - I have never let a little thing like facts affect what I post on this board.

 

If an agreement is not reached during this week, either side could give notice lets say Friday December 30th. Counting on my fingers and toes the 60 days puts us at March 1st and the beginning of ShebaLeaves.
I haven't and never hope to be the Debbie Downer on the this board, but the fact remains that they are messing with the only team that I care about. I can deal with losses.........not cancelled matches.

 

Rich Nichols out as USWNT players rep just 3 days before end of CBA with US Soccer. Big news. (I verified this release is legit.) pic.twitter.com/ssUK9xaQUM

— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) December 29, 2016

 

I'm interpreting this move as a sign that the players are becoming willing to move toward compromise (the firing of the lawyer as well as no hint of a strike with their reference to SheBelieves).

Is that what others see in this, or should I be thinking this is a sign of digging in?

 

I think the players threw in their hand for this round. A sign of weakness of their position.
As I wrote on Equalizer, from what I had understood, the players, with a new union leadership, grew unhappy with their prior executive director Langel ("not getting what they wanted" was how I was told) and hired Nichols who advocated a tougher approach to USSF. That apparently had not worked out and now Nichols is gone. Maybe it was because his legal arguments have not worked out, maybe the forcing out of older players (Solo, HAO) put fear in some the of the rest, or maybe the talk of a strike scared the newer players who just got to join the team and earn the bigger pay. But the firing of Nichols and the comments in the press release seem to be the players intend to play this year, even under the existing CBA terms

 

BTW, where is Kessler these days? Has he still been a part of any of the more recent negotiations, or was he out after the USSF/PA suit was resolved back in April/May?

Nichols was also the one who I believe put the whole seed of "the MOU is invalid" into the minds of the players. When that didn't work out and with negotiations stalled now (from what we hear), I can see the players realizing that maybe they didn't have the best advocate working for them if they wanted to move forward with their employer.

 

I think the players on the team in 2014 wanted and knew what they were getting in Nichols. But his legal arguments have not worked out and the players are in a weaker position vs. 2015. And there has been some player turnover and maybe the new ones don't like the talk the older ones have made regarding a possible strike.

 

Yeah, maybe. But remember, according to 60 Minutes, it was Solo who convinced everyone else to hire Nichols. With her gone, it could be both older and younger players who've become unhappy with the way things have been going. (I say that with the thought that younger players alone would not have the political/social power within the WNTPA to fire Nichols. At least some of the older vets had to agree with it.)

Also this thread seems the best place to put this link. USSF financial statements for the 2016 fiscal year are now up: http://www.ussoccer.com/about/federation-services/resource-center/financial-information

 

73 hours 7 minutes 35 seconds

 

I'm thinking that Nichols made big promises that he didn't deliver on. That happens, especially if the union reps aren't experienced enough to know what are realistic promises and aren't.

I read their statement as saying there's no way they're going to walk out, at least until after SheBelieves.

 

It should be clarified that FY 2016 was April 1 2015 - March 31 2016.

I found the NWSL bit interesting. To sum up.

• US Soccer provides management and office space for NWSL thru Dec 31, 2016
• US Soccer does not receive management fees or rent from NWSL
• US Soccer is not a member to the LLC agreement and the NWSL is owned by 10 member teams
• US Soccer and the NWSL do not share board members.

 

It is indeed hard to imagine them parting with Nichols and taking a MORE aggressive/hostile stance. Unless Carli Lloyd has gone into uncharted territory and convinced the others to follow.

 

https://sports.good.is/articles/hope-solo-us-womens-soccer-cba

Blog from Hope Solo.

 

That was published before the news of the firing of Nichols and it could have been written a while ago. I suspect that Solo knew at least some of the players were unhappy with Nichols and prospects of a strike/lockout, and I read the article as an attempt by Solo to keep the players together. That has failed.

"...I still have an EEOC claim filed and it’s something that I intend to go full-force forward with..."

If so, I suspect on her dime, not the union's.

 

I wonder if there are whispers that the EEOC decision is coming and based on this it isn't favorable for the players.

 

It would be very unusual for the content of the decision to be made known to anyone before it's released publicly.

 

All just guesses but he goes.
- I think Nichols wanted to file the 60 day strike notice to leverage SBC and the players weren't solidly behind a strike
- I think recent moves bringing in new players on mass has got players thinking job security isn't what it used to be
- I think the players now see equal pay as a hopeful strategy and r now thinking that reaching the EP-EP goal is going to be achieved over multiple CBAs.
- I think USSF is making offers worth considering giving hope of compromise.

 

Or option 5: the federation is using their usual scare tactics to bully the players into submission, and firing him was one of the conditions.

 

Do you need a safe space?

 

Stars and Stripes FC is predicting [among other things] a strike, albeit "boldly" by their own admission.

http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/12/30/14120772/bold-uswnt-predictions-2017

 

With in the camp press release.

"The U.S. Women’s National Team and U.S. Soccer will continue to operate under the Collective Bargaining Agreement in its current form as negotiations continue into the new year."