The WNBA Players Association announced Thursday that it had authorized its executive committee to call for a strike “when necessary” as the union continues collective bargaining negotiations with the WNBA, marking the latest development in a tense saga of labor talks between the union and league.
As outlined in the WNBPA’s statement, “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.”
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The union said that 93 percent of the players participated in the vote, with 98 percent voting “yes.”
League officials expected the union’s decision to authorize its executive committee to call for a strike, sources briefed on the talks said.
After agreeing to a second extension of the CBA through Jan. 9, 2026, the union and the WNBA continue to remain far apart in their negotiations, per recent statements from the players. The sticking point for the two parties is the economic model of the league and how players will partake in sharing the revenue of the business. There are also multiple other issues at play, including benefits for current and retired players, the length of the WNBA calendar, roster sizes and the core designation — the WNBA’s equivalent of the NFL’s franchise tag.
The terms of the extension allow either side to terminate the extension with 48 hours’ notice. In addition to termination, this vote gives the WNBPA executive committee the ability to strike and withhold services from the WNBA, even as players have stressed the importance of having a full season in 2026.
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“The players’ decision is an unavoidable response to the state of negotiations with the WNBA and its teams,” the union said in its statement Thursday.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver was asked about the CBA negotiations at a news conference before the NBA Cup championship game and acknowledged the need for both sides to compromise, even as they both pursue substantially increased compensation for the players.
The WNBA has never missed games because of a strike or work stoppage in its nearly 30-year history. The closest the league came to missing games, however, was in April 2003, when then-NBA commissioner David Stern threatened to cancel that upcoming WNBA season around a month before its start date if a deal was not reached by then. A new CBA was eventually agreed upon.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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