By Ben Nicholson
December 14 – The United Soccer League Players Association (USLPA) – consisting of those players employed in the United Soccer League (USL), which is considered the third tier of US soccer – is coming close to formal unionisation.
After a year-long effort to establish the necessary majority support of the workforce the USLPA has announced that it has compiled the requisite amount of signed authorization cards.
Pursuant to the National Labor Relations Act, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recognition requires 30% support of employees to file the paperwork. USLPA says it has 53% of employees’ signatures.
A mediator is now in the process of verifying to support, at which point the USL will be faced with the option to recognise the union immediately, or wait for the USLPA to ask the NLRB for a union election, which could take another year.
USLPA advisor Ted Philipakos said: “The organisation effort represents the players’ desire to have a voice and working relationship with the league. It should be emphasised that the proposed union gained majority support by promoting collaboration with the league rather than activism against it.”
The USL has thus far declined to comment on the prospect of the USLPA unionising.
Philipakos stated: “We’re looking to form a partnership with the USL and its owners that will further the development of the league. In the short term, that should include working together to establish some basic employment standards.”
“For the moment, our main goal is simply to organise and establish a body that will represent the voice of the players. We have not established specific bargaining priorities, because ultimately the players will determine those priorities. Having said that, we advocate a reasonable approach to bargaining, which will not disrupt the development of the league.”
However, likely high on that list of priorities will be player salary. Currently, USL players on average earn around $2,000 per month, which Philipakos says means that some players “struggle to get through the month.”
The USLPA could benefit from having a collective bargaining representative who can use collective action to leverage for greater player benefits. This, of course, would first necessitate appointment of a bargaining representative.
In the 2015 season the USL had 23 clubs competing but recently announced plans to expand up to 40 clubs, eight of which are operated by MLS clubs and 12 of which are affiliated with MLS clubs. It remains to be seen whether this expansion will complicate the calculation of majority support for union certification purposes.
The MLS Players Union formed in 2003. The North American Soccer League (NASL), which is considered the second tier of US soccer is yet to unionise. In 1979 the NASL endured a work stoppage because the NASL refused to bargain with the NASL Players Association. In 2015 the threat loomed of a work stoppage in the MLS due to disagreements over the renewal of a collective bargaining agreement.
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