Proposed Solution to MLS Labor Strife

The MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations are coming down to the wire and appear to be reaching an impasse. Peter Wilt offers up solutions to the current MLS labor strife.

Many of my New Year predictions will prove false, but I’m afraid the first one, which predicted a 3-4 week work stoppage, is beginning to look accurate. No one wants this and outsiders don’t have the specific information to fully understand how or why the situation has gotten to this point.

The differences seem to center around the less tangible issue of “player rights” rather than pure cash. The owners have invested considerable sums into the league and they continue to do so. Players see that the tide is beginning to turn with some teams generating positive cash flow and now want to be included in the reward.

While players and owners are beginning to provide general positioning statements, specifics are still hard to find. The tight lips surrounding the CBA talks with the MLS Players Union has effectively limited public speculation and discussion to conjecture and generalities on the issues that are separating the players and management.

I don’t know first hand what MLS Commissioner Don Garber and MLS Players’ Union Executive Director Bob Foose are debating, but from the outside, there still seems to be quite a gap between the two sides despite the inclusion of a federal mediator. Today’s column delves into some of the specific issues of the negotiations and, while somewhat speculative, is based on issues that are relevant to the current CBA. To each issue I offer a proposed solution.

There are reportedly three main issues that the players are seeking concessions on: free agency, guaranteed contracts and receiving 10% of international transfer fees. These aren’t the only issues of course and the owners and players are discussing them individually and in context with them as a group. Following are eleven issues that are likely among the most contentious. The chart below lists the issues, how each one is addressed in the recently expired CBA and my proposal for how to handle each issue in a new CBA.