Women’s team and U.S. Soccer intensify talks

Talks between the U.S. women’s national team players and the U.S. Soccer Federation intensified over the weekend in the ongoing effort to reach a deal on a new contract.

The latest negotiations come on the heels of an agreement between USA Hockey and its women’s national team for better compensation following a threat by players to boycott the world championships. The Irish women’s national soccer team also said it would skip an upcoming international match in a labor dispute.

“There is no question that women athletes around the world are sending a strong message,” said Molly Levinson, spokeswoman for the U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association. “They are demanding fairness and equality and they are changing the game for the future.”

The 2015 Women’s World Cup champions have been without a contract since Dec. 31. Talks were stalled when the players parted ways in late December with attorney Rich Nichols, who had been executive director of the USWNTPA since late 2014.

The players’ association has met numerous times with U.S. Soccer since the union brought in a new executive director and legal representation earlier this year.

The terms of the previous collective bargaining agreement remain in place unless either side files a 60-day notice of termination. Neither side has filed.

The latest negotiations come a year after a group of players filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that alleged wage discrimination by the federation. The players maintained male national team counterparts earned far more than they did in many cases.

Becky Sauerbrunn, Meghan Klingenberg and Christen Press were elected player representatives at the team’s January training camp. In February, Sauerbrunn expressed hope that a deal could be struck before the National Women’s Soccer league opens play this month.

U.S. Soccer pays the salaries of national team players in the NWSL and the terms are spelled out in the CBA with the federation.