WNBA All-Star players wore T-shirts that read “Pay Us What You Owe Us” as they warmed up for the All-Star Game on Saturday night, emphasizing a key issue in the ongoing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations. The players have been clear about their demands, insisting that they want to address revenue sharing and salary in the upcoming CBA, which they hope will be “transformational.”
“The main issue holding things up right now is that we want higher salaries, but we also want to discuss percentages and revenue sharing,” said WNBPA Vice President Breanna Stewart on Friday. “Based on their most recent proposal, we have not been able to reach a point where we are even discussing the same topics.”
CBA negotiations have been a significant point of contention during All-Star Weekend. On Thursday, the league and the players’ association met in person for the first time since December, with players later calling it “a missed opportunity” for making real progress in their discussions.
“We were definitely disappointed,” WNBPA Vice President Napheesa Collier said. “What they offered was nowhere near what we asked for, nor was it even in the same discussion.”
More than 40 players attended Thursday’s meeting, an unprecedented turnout for a CBA negotiation. During a news conference on Saturday, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert expressed her appreciation for the large number of players who attended the meeting and demonstrated interest in the negotiations.
For the players, their presence was a way to show the league that they are serious about their demands. “We mean business, and we’re going to insist on what’s right,” said Las Vegas forward A’ja Wilson.
“This was a historic way for players to show their commitment, and they understood the significance of the moment,” said union President Nneka Ogwumike. “We had hoped that the level of engagement would lead to more concessions from the league. I don’t anticipate us having another meeting with that many players involved.”
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