Women's National Basketball Players Association

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WNBPA
Women's National Basketball Players Association
Founded1998
Location
  • United States
Key people
Nneka Ogwumike (president)
Terri Jackson (executive director)
Websitewnbpa.com

The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) is the players' union for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). It formed in 1998 and was the first trade union for female professional athletes.

History

The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) was formed in 1998 after the end of the WNBA league's second season.[1][2] Players were protesting average salaries of $30,000 (equivalent to $56,080 in 2023) and lack of health care benefits, retirement plans, and revenue sharing.[2] It was the first trade union for professional women athletes.[2][3] According to its website it was the first trade union to ratify a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in women's professional sports.[1] The union's first director was Pamela Wheeler.[2]

Collective bargaining agreements

The WNBPA ratified its first CBA on 30 April 1999.[1] According to its website it was the first CBA ratified in professional women's sports.[1] It included provisions to raise the minimum salary for established players to $30,000 (from $15,000), health care benefits that extended to the off-season, a retirement plan, paid maternity leave, and revenue sharing.[2]

The WNBPA threatened to strike in 2003 if a new deal was not worked out between players and the league. The result was a delay in the start of the 2003 preseason. The 2003 WNBA draft was also delayed.[4]

In 2014 the league and the union made an 8-year collective bargaining agreement which allowed an opt-out after the 2019 season.[5]

In January 2020, the league and the union announced they had reached a tentative agreement that represented a "profound shift" in compensation for players and the resources available to them.[6] Under the agreement the average player salary would "exceed six figures for the first time."[6] The agreement also covered revenue sharing, travel standards, and maternity and childcare benefits.[6] Billie Jean King, part owner of the Los Angeles Sparks, said the agreement would "redefine what it means to be a professional female athlete today.”[6] Sports Illustrated called it a "groundbreaking, glass-ceiling-cracking" agreement which was the "first of its kind in pro sports" in addressing the needs of working parents.[7] The league expected the salary increase to benefit the WNBA by helping prevent players from resorting to off-season play in Europe, Asia, and Australia in order to increase their earnings, as the extra playing time increases the risk of injuries that may affect WNBA competition and the extended time working outside the US affects players' availability to promote the league off-season.[6] Shortly afterward the union negotiated with the league on how to create the Wubble, a coronavirus bubble designed to allow the WNBA to play a shortened 2020 season.[7][8]

Other projects

Shortly after the George Floyd protests began in 2020, the league and the players' union agreed to put Say Her Name and Black Lives Matter slogans on warmup gear and uniforms for opening weekend.[9][10] On 6 July, the WNBA announced their pandemic-shortened season would be "dedicated to social justice."[11][12][13] In early July 2020, Atlanta Dream owner Senator Kelly Loeffler criticized the league's support for Black Lives Matter and asked the league commissioner Cathy Engelbert to drop support of the Black Lives Matter movement.[14][15][16] Engelbert refused, releasing a statement saying the league would "continue to use our platforms to vigorously advocate for social justice," and the WNBA and WNBPA announced the joint formation of the Social Justice Council by the league and union.[14][17][18]

Presidents

Recognition

In 2021 the NAACP gave the WNBPA their Jackie Robinson Award (shared with Steph Curry) in recognition for the union's work advocating for social justice.[3][20]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "About the WNBPA – WNBPA". wnbpa.com. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e Abrams, Jonathan; Weiner, Natalie (2020-10-16). "How the Most Socially Progressive Pro League Got That Way". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
  3. ^ a b "WNBPA". NAACP Image Awards. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  4. ^ Sandomir, Richard (16 April 2003). "W.N.B.A., Going on 7, Has Grown-Up Labor Dispute". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
  5. ^ a b c "WNBA players turn to N. Ogwumike as union prez". ESPN.com. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e Wallace, Ava (14 January 2020). "WNBA, players' union agree to landmark deal in new collective bargaining agreement". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  7. ^ a b Prewitt, Alex (28 August 2020). "Nneka Ogwumike Is a President for the People". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  8. ^ Dagher, Veronica (5 June 2020). "Three Questions with the Women's National Basketball Players Association's Terri Jackson". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  9. ^ Peaslee, Emma (21 January 2021). "Atlanta Dream, Co-Owned By Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Is Close To Being Sold". NPR. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  10. ^ Connley, Courtney (18 March 2021). "Natasha Cloud, Breanna Stewart and other WNBA stars on continuing the fight for social justice and equality". CNBC. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  11. ^ Hudson, Jamie (8 October 2020). "The WNBA at the forefront of social justice movement". NBC Sports. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  12. ^ "WNBA Announces A 2020 Season Dedicated To Social Justice". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  13. ^ Zillgitt, Jeff (6 July 2020). "WNBA dedicates 2020 season to social justice, announces creation of Social Justice Council". USA TODAY. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  14. ^ a b Hurt, Emma (7 July 2020). "Loeffler Asks WNBA Commissioner To Back Down On Black Lives Matter Jerseys, Warmup Shirts". NPR. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  15. ^ Hurt, Emma (15 July 2020). "GOP Senator On Defense As WNBA Team She Co-Owns Embraces Black Lives Matter". NPR. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  16. ^ Voepel, Mechelle (24 July 2020). "How the WNBA's commitment to social justice united players to return for 2020 season". ESPN. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  17. ^ Booker, Brakkton (7 July 2020). "WNBA Dedicates 2020 Season To Social Justice Initiatives. Senator Says She's Opposed". NPR. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  18. ^ Adams, Abigail (7 July 2020). "WNBA, WNBPA Form Social Justice Council, Campaign Ahead Of 2020 Season". New England Sports Network. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  19. ^ Pelton, Kevin (May 21, 2009). "Where Are They Now? Sonja Henning". WNBA. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  20. ^ "Stephen Curry And The Women's National Basketball Players Association To Receive Jackie Robinson Sports Awards During 52nd NAACP Image Awards". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
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