The WNBA players’ union announced Thursday, Dec. 18, that its executive committee was authorized by a near-unanimous vote from its members to call a “strike when necessary.”
The WNBPA’s statement comes during ongoing new collective bargaining negotiations between the league and union. The talks have been at a stalemate since before the 2025 season ended in October, when the Las Vegas Aces eliminated the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals.
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“The players have spoken,” the WNBPA said in a statement. “Through a decisive vote with historic participation, our membership has authorized the WNBPA’s Executive Committee to call a strike when necessary. The players’ decision is an unavoidable response to the state of negotiations with the WNBA and its teams.”
The strike authorization was from 98% who voted yes and had 93% participation, per the release. This doesn’t mean that a strike is imminent. But it’s a major step toward what could become the first work stoppage from the players in WNBA history. It comes as the league is at an all-time high in popularity and media attention.
“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,” the statement continued.
“The players’ vote is neither a call for an immediate strike nor an intention to pursue one. 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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The league issued a statement saying it was aware of the union’s vote and claiming it is mischaracterizing the current state of negotiations.
“The league remains steadfast in its commitment to reaching an agreement as soon as possible. and delivering a 30th season for fans, teams and partners,” the statement said in part. “We have negotiated in good faith and with urgency, and remain focused on finalizing a new collective bargaining agreement that not only meaningfully enhances player pay, benefits and experience, but also does so in a way that ensures the long-term growth of the game and the league’s capacity to serve the next generation of players.”
The player executive committee is made up of several WNBA All-Stars, including the Seattle Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike, who serves as the union’s president. Vice presidents are Los Angeles Sparks’ Kelsey Plum, Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier and New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart. Washington Mystics’ VP Alysha Clark is also a vice president. Chicago Sky’s Elizabeth Williams serves as secretary and Indiana Fever’s Brianna Turner is the treasurer. They will make the ultimate decision whether to call for a strike.
“I feel confident in the players’ association and where we are internally with our players and the future,” Collier said on Dec. 16 during a media session for Unrivaled, the winter 3-on-3 women’s pro basketball league she co-founded with Stewart. “The conversation has been had now. People are seeing that changes need to be made. It’s coming from so many different directions, so many people feel this way. We’re just excited for the future.”
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On Dec. 12, at the USA women’s basketball camp, which Phoenix’s Kahleah Copper is playing in, Plum called the talks “a little bit disheartening, just the frustration in the negotiation and how far away we are.”
The talks are strained over disagreement on the proposals for revenue shares and salary systems.
Under the current CBA, players get barely 10% compared to the league’s 90% of the revenue share. For the new CBA, the union wants more than double the revenue share, around 30% of the total league and team revenue, per The Athletic.
The union cites the league’s new 11-year media rights deal worth $2.2 billion, which goes into effect next season, and the league’s expansion team plan from 13 to 18 by 2030. The five new teams are each paying $250 million in expansion fees. The players pitched for the new CBA to have veteran minimum salaries at around $300,000 and supermaxes at $1.1 million. The veteran minimum was $66,000 and the supermax at approximately $249,000 in 2025.
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The deadline to finalize the new CBA was pushed back from Nov. 30 to Jan. 9, as both parties are far from a new CBA deal. This was the second deadline extension, after the original deadline was Oct. 31. The extensions have a provision that allows either side the ability to terminate them with a 48-hour notice, after which the union could start a strike or the league could begin a lockout.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: WNBA players’ union votes for potential strike amid labor talks
