Women's National Basketball Players Association
{{Short description|Trade union}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = WNBPA
| full_name = Women's National Basketball Players Association
| native_name =
| logo = WNBPA Logo.png
| founded = {{start date and age|1998|11|06}}
| type = Trade union
| headquarters = 1133 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY
| location_country = United States
| leader_title = Executive Director
| leader_name = Terri Jackson
| leader_title2 = President
| leader_name2 = Nneka Ogwumike
| board_of_directors = Executive Committee
| website = {{URL|wnbpa.com}}
| footnotes =
}}
The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) is the players' union for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). It formed in 1998 and was the first trade union for female professional athletes.
History
The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) was formed in 1998 after the end of the WNBA league's second season.{{Cite news|last1=Abrams|first1=Jonathan|last2=Weiner|first2=Natalie|date=2020-10-16|title=How the Most Socially Progressive Pro League Got That Way|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/16/sports/basketball/wnba-loeffler-protest-kneeling.html|access-date=2021-07-05|issn=0362-4331}} Players were protesting average salaries of $30,000 ({{Inflation|index=US|value=30000|start_year=1998|r=0|fmt=eq|cursign=$}}) and lack of health care benefits, retirement plans, and revenue sharing. It was the first trade union for professional women athletes.{{Cite web|title=WNBPA|url=https://naacpimageawards.net/special-awards/womens-national-basketball-players-association-wnbpa/|access-date=29 June 2021|website=NAACP Image Awards|language=en-US}} According to its website it was the first trade union to ratify a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in women's professional sports.{{Cite web|title=About the WNBPA – WNBPA|url=https://wnbpa.com/about/#:~:text=The%20Women%27s%20National%20Basketball%20Players,union%20for%20professional%20women%20athletes.|access-date=29 June 2021|website=wnbpa.com}} The union's first director was Pamela Wheeler.
Collective bargaining agreements
The WNBPA ratified its first CBA on 30 April 1999. According to its website it was the first CBA ratified in professional women's sports. It included provisions to raise the minimum salary for established players to $30,000 (from $15,000), health care benefits that extended to the off-season, a retirement plan, paid maternity leave, and revenue sharing.
The WNBPA threatened to strike in 2003 if a new deal was not worked out between players and the league. The result was a delay in the start of the 2003 preseason. The 2003 WNBA draft was also delayed.{{cite news|last=Sandomir|first=Richard|date=16 April 2003|title=W.N.B.A., Going on 7, Has Grown-Up Labor Dispute|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/16/sports/basketball/y16wnba.html|access-date=13 May 2011}}
In 2014 the league and the union made an 8-year collective bargaining agreement which allowed an opt-out after the 2019 season.
In January 2020, the league and the union announced they had reached a tentative agreement that represented a "profound shift" in compensation for players and the resources available to them.{{Cite news|last=Wallace|first=Ava|date=14 January 2020|title=WNBA, players' union agree to landmark deal in new collective bargaining agreement|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/01/14/wnba-players-union-agree-landmark-deal-new-collective-bargaining-agreement/|access-date=29 June 2021|issn=0190-8286}} Under the agreement the average player salary would "exceed six figures for the first time." The agreement also covered revenue sharing, travel standards, and maternity and childcare benefits. Billie Jean King, part owner of the Los Angeles Sparks, said the agreement would "redefine what it means to be a professional female athlete today.” Sports Illustrated called it a "groundbreaking, glass-ceiling-cracking" agreement which was the "first of its kind in pro sports" in addressing the needs of working parents. The league expected the salary increase to benefit the WNBA by helping prevent players from resorting to off-season play in Europe, Asia, and Australia in order to increase their earnings, as the extra playing time increases the risk of injuries that may affect WNBA competition and the extended time working outside the US affects players' availability to promote the league off-season. Shortly afterward the union negotiated with the league on how to create the Wubble, a coronavirus bubble designed to allow the WNBA to play a shortened 2020 season.{{Cite magazine|last=Prewitt|first=Alex|date=28 August 2020|title=Nneka Ogwumike Is a President for the People|url=https://www.si.com/wnba/2020/08/28/nneka-ogwumike-players-association-cba-daily-cover|access-date=29 June 2021|magazine=Sports Illustrated|language=en-us}}{{Cite news|last=Dagher|first=Veronica|date=5 June 2020|title=Three Questions with the Women's National Basketball Players Association's Terri Jackson|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/three-questions-with-the-womens-national-basketball-players-associations-terri-jackson-11591369720|access-date=29 June 2021|issn=0099-9660}}
Other projects
Shortly after the George Floyd protests began in 2020, the league and the players' union agreed to put Say Her Name and Black Lives Matter slogans on warmup gear and uniforms for opening weekend.{{Cite web|last=Peaslee|first=Emma|date=21 January 2021|title=Atlanta Dream, Co-Owned By Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Is Close To Being Sold|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/01/21/959247641/atlanta-dream-co-owned-by-former-sen-kelly-loeffler-is-close-to-being-sold|access-date=29 June 2021|website=NPR|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Connley|first=Courtney|date=18 March 2021|title=Natasha Cloud, Breanna Stewart and other WNBA stars on continuing the fight for social justice and equality|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/18/wnba-stars-continue-to-lead-charge-for-social-justice-and-equality.html|access-date=29 June 2021|website=CNBC|language=en}} On 6 July, the WNBA announced their pandemic-shortened season would be "dedicated to social justice."{{Cite web|last=Hudson|first=Jamie|date=8 October 2020|title=The WNBA at the forefront of social justice movement|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/seattle-storm/wnba-forefront-social-justice-movement|access-date=29 June 2021|website=NBC Sports|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=WNBA Announces A 2020 Season Dedicated To Social Justice|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-announces-a-2020-season-dedicated-to-social-justice/|access-date=29 June 2021|website=WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Zillgitt|first=Jeff|date=6 July 2020|title=WNBA dedicates 2020 season to social justice, announces creation of Social Justice Council|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2020/07/06/wnba-dedicates-season-social-justice-jerseys-names-women-killed/5387726002/|access-date=29 June 2021|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}} In early July 2020, Atlanta Dream owner Senator Kelly Loeffler criticized the league's support for Black Lives Matter and asked the league commissioner Cathy Engelbert to drop support of the Black Lives Matter movement.{{Cite web|last=Hurt|first=Emma|date=7 July 2020|title=Loeffler Asks WNBA Commissioner To Back Down On Black Lives Matter Jerseys, Warmup Shirts|url=https://www.wabe.org/loeffler-asks-wnba-commissioner-to-back-down-on-black-lives-matter-jerseys-warm-up-shirts/|access-date=29 June 2021|website=NPR|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Hurt|first=Emma|date=15 July 2020|title=GOP Senator On Defense As WNBA Team She Co-Owns Embraces Black Lives Matter|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/07/15/891368999/gop-senator-on-defense-as-wnba-team-she-co-owns-embraces-black-lives-matter|access-date=29 June 2021|website=NPR|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Voepel|first=Mechelle|date=24 July 2020|title=How the WNBA's commitment to social justice united players to return for 2020 season|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/29526083/how-wnba-commitment-social-justice-united-players-return-2020-season|access-date=29 June 2021|website=ESPN|language=en}} Engelbert refused, releasing a statement saying the league would "continue to use our platforms to vigorously advocate for social justice," and the WNBA and WNBPA announced the joint formation of the Social Justice Council by the league and union.{{Cite web|last=Booker|first=Brakkton|date=7 July 2020|title=WNBA Dedicates 2020 Season To Social Justice Initiatives. Senator Says She's Opposed|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/07/07/888159078/say-her-name-wnba-dedicates-2020-season-to-social-justice-initiatives|access-date=29 June 2021|website=NPR|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Adams|first=Abigail|date=7 July 2020|title=WNBA, WNBPA Form Social Justice Council, Campaign Ahead Of 2020 Season|url=https://nesn.com/2020/07/wnba-wnbpa-form-social-justice-council-campaign-ahead-of-2020-season/|access-date=29 June 2021|website=New England Sports Network|language=en-US}}
Presidents
- Nneka Ogwumike (from 2016){{Cite web|date=18 October 2016|title=WNBA players turn to N. Ogwumike as union prez|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/17828322/wnba-players-turn-nneka-ogwumike-players-union-president|access-date=29 June 2021|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}
- Tamika Catchings (2004-2016)
- Sonja Henning (2001 - 2003){{cite web|url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/storm/history/watn_10th_henning.html |title=Where Are They Now? Sonja Henning |first=Kevin |last=Pelton |date=May 21, 2009 |website=WNBA |access-date=July 20, 2021}}
Recognition
In 2021 the NAACP gave the WNBPA their Jackie Robinson Award (shared with Steph Curry) in recognition for the union's work advocating for social justice.{{Cite web|title=Stephen Curry And The Women's National Basketball Players Association To Receive Jackie Robinson Sports Awards During 52nd NAACP Image Awards|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/stephen-curry-and-the-womens-national-basketball-players-association-to-receive-jackie-robinson-sports-awards-during-52nd-naacp-image-awards/|access-date=29 June 2021|website=WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Women's National Basketball Association|state=expanded}}
Category:Women's National Basketball Association