WNBA players have authorized the WNBPA Executive Committee to call a strike if necessary, the union announced on Thursday afternoon.
“The players have spoken. Through a decisive vote with historic participation, our membership has authorized the WNBPA’s Executive Committee to call a strike when necessary,” the union statement read. “The players’ decision is an unavoidable response to the state of negotiations with the WNBA and its teams. Time and again, the players’ thoughtful and reasonable approach has been met by the WNBA and its teams with a resistance to change and a recommitment to the draconian provisions that have unfairly restricted players for nearly three decades.”
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According to ESPN, 93% of the players participated in the vote and 98% of those players voted to authorize a potential strike.
The WNBA released a response that said, in part: “While we acknowledge the players’ right to authorize a future work stoppage, we strongly disagree with the WNBAPA’s characterization of the current state of negotiations, which fundamentally misrepresents the ongoing discussions taking place at the bargaining table. It is difficult to understand claims that the league is resistant to change, particularly given that we are proposing numerous CBA modifications including significant immediate salary increases and a new uncapped revenue-sharing model that would ensure continued salary growth tied to revenue growth.”
The statement said the league is committed to reaching an agreement with the players as soon as possible that “enhances player pay, benefits, and experience, but also does so in a way that ensures the long-term growth of the game.”
The news comes after multiple players said they were disheartened by negotiations between the league and the union, citing minimal progress from the end of the season on negotiations. The two sides are far apart on the potential salary structure, with players wanting a higher percentage of revenue sharing and revamped base salaries.
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“More often than not, we’re the ones that are willing to compromise and they still aren’t budging,” Breanna Stewart, who is a vice president on the WNBPA’s executive committee, said of the talks, according to USA Today. “So if they’re not going to budge, we’re going to get to this point where we’re just going to be at a standoff. That’s kind of where we’re at right now.”
This strike authorization does not mean the players are immediately going on strike; it is only a step for the players’ union executive committee to be able to call one if they feel it necessary. The two sides are under an extension to the CBA that runs until Jan. 9, but either side can call for an end to the extension with 48 hours’ notice.
For the players’ union to go on strike, they would first need to give the league the two-day notice of terminating the CBA extension. They would then need to officially call for a strike after that extension ends.
“The players’ vote is neither a call for an immediate strike nor an intention to pursue one,” the union statement read. “Rather, it is an emphatic affirmation of the players’ confidence in their leadership and their unwavering solidarity against ongoing efforts to divide, conquer, and undervalue them. Let it be known. The players remain united, resolute, and prepared to fight for their value and their future.”
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If the players’ union authorizes a strike, players would not participate in any offseason team events or be able to use team facilities. Players have not shied away from a potential strike since the end of the season.
“I promise you: We’re not going to play until they give us what we deserve,” Cunningham said in October. “And that (a lockout) is where it’s headed, unfortunately, which would be the dumbest basketball decision business-wise ever considering all the momentum the W has now.”
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Other players have underscored the need to play in 2026, hoping to keep the momentum the WNBA has gained over the past couple seasons.
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“This is the biggest moment in the history of the WNBA, and I don’t want that to be forgotten,” Fever star Caitlin Clark, a main driver of that momentum, said. “It’s important that we find a way to play next season. I think our fans, and even everyone that has come and played in this league before us, deserve that as well.”
Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at capeterson@gannett.com or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. Subscribe to IndyStar’s YouTube channel and join Fever Insiders Live.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Are WNBA players going on strike? What WNBPA statement means for CBA negotiations
