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Tom Hindle

'Alignment is the goal' - USL players protest on opening weekend as CBA negotiations stall

USL Championship players refused to move for the first 60 seconds across all fixtures this weekend in response to the expiration of the league's collective bargaining agreement, and no apparent solution in sight. The contentious negotiations between the USL Players Association and the league have hit a standstill, and the old CBA expired at the turn of the year.

  • Players protest

    The protests started Friday night, when both teams refused to kick a ball for the first 60 seconds of the season-opening fixture between Louisville City and Lexington City SC. The moment made waves on social media, and the Players' Association later confirmed that the action was due to the union's push for 'professional standards', with negotiations on a CBA at an apparent standstill. Every game followed suit, with 10 games in total seeing their start delayed.

    The players voted to authorize a strike on Feb. 26 - although that does not mean collective action of that measure is imminent. A player familiar with the negotiations told GOAL via emailthey wouldn't rule out further action: 

    "I’m honored to represent and advocate on behalf of this player pool, and I’ll continue to focus my energy on pursuing the direction players collectively decide to take," the player said. "The Players Association and the players are one and the same, and any steps forward reflect their will. At the end of the day, we want to see the league’s growth matched by meaningful progress in the professional standards players receive. That alignment is the goal."

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  • The USLPA statement

    The Players Association backed the collective action on all social media channels, outlining that the protest wasn't about 'theatrics', but a push for a professional standards that they are seeking with a new CBA.

  • Paul McDonough USLGOAL

    The league's stance

    The league went public with its response last week to negotiations that had previously been played out in private. It offered a series of updates on negotiations, claiming that the two sides had made "significant movement" on a number of key issues, including compensation, bonuses and image rights. 

    But reports elsewhere suggested that negotiations might be more tense. According to The Guardian, the league sent out an email to all players on Wednesday evening explaining how they could resign their union membership if they so chose. 

    When reached for comment, the league responded with the following statement: "Our focus remains on returning to the bargaining table and reaching a fair agreement."

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  • Negotiations set to continue

    Talks over a CBA continued through the end of last week, and the expectation remains that more will follow. The USLPA signed the first CBA in league history in 2021, which expired in 2026. Last year, approximately 85 percent of players did not have 12-month contracts, while 25 percent weren't offered health insurance by their club.