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In the second installment of our two-part interview, WPSPU Executive Director Jennifer Hitchon discusses the status of a collective bargaining agreement and the principal goals the union hopes to accomplish in the future.

AWK: Can you share some insight into the current status of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and union-league negotiations? What have been the biggest obstacles standing in the way of completing a CBA?

JH: Collective bargaining is the process whereby employees (players/WPSPU) and employers (owners/WPS) negotiate terms and conditions of employment. In the WPS context, this includes salary structure, injury protections, health insurance and other benefits, training conditions, grievance procedures, free-agency terms, season length, etc. Once the terms are agreed upon by both parties, they are referred to as a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Bargaining was delayed several times in the fall and winter to allow WPS time to secure teams for the upcoming 2011 season. WPS also needed time to prepare and send me all the documents to which the union is entitled, including: league rules and operational information, a spreadsheet of player disciplinary actions and red cards, all executed player contracts, and a database of expenses and revenue streams.

Anne-Marie Eileraas and I have since agreed to a negotiations road map for a CBA. The union has already submitted proposals regarding non-financial, labor law-related issues such as union recognition and access, duration, security and check off, grievance and arbitration procedures, injury guarantees, and the league has responded through its labor counsel. There is still a lot of work left to be done.

AWK: In 1998, WNBA players formed the first labor union comprised of professional women athletes. The league ratified a CBA five months later. How significant would the introduction of a CBA be to both WPS and professional women’s sports in general?

JH: A WPS CBA will increase the professionalism and stability of the league and improve its chances for long-term viability. Organizations across the sports/labor spectrum are hoping to see us succeed and amiably reach a CBA - I have received advice and support from the MLS Players Union, the NFL Players Association, and the WNBA Players Association. The union has also received financial support from the ALF-CIO.

AWK: WPS is unlike the WNBA and MLS in that it’s a fully independent league comprised of six individual franchises. How has WPS’s unique ownership structure helped or hindered player-owner labor negotiations?

JH: The distinction between a single- and multi- employer structure is certainly significant. We are only now beginning the bargaining process, though, so it is difficult for me to say exactly what impact it will have and how it may or may not complicate matters.

AWK: Considering there isn’t a CBA for the 2011 WPS season, one can assume salaries and standard player contract terms for this season are set. Is the WPSPU essentially putting all of its efforts into getting a deal in place for 2012 rather than for 2011?

JH: Yes, our focus is on the future. We have agreed with Anne-Marie Eileraas to work in earnest to reach a CBA or at least resolve salary and contract issues by season’s end, and certainly before any new contracts are signed for 2012.

AWK: Labor issues have dominated the sports pages recently. MLS nearly reached a lockout before its players and the league came to an agreement on a new CBA fairly late in the game. The NFL is currently embroiled in a lockout scenario and it looks like the NBA is nearing one. How is WPS’s situation both similar and different from the examples cited?

JH: In other leagues, there is a lot more money at stake as well as more power symmetry between the owners and players, so there’s a greater payoff to tough negotiating tactics. The MLS, NFL, and NBA are also more stable and can weather a work stoppage, be it a lockout or a strike. The WPS is new, and everyone is doing all they can to keep the stadium lights on. It’s no secret that the players are not interested in a strike.

AWK: WPS looks to be in a fragile state given the high turnover of franchises and sporadic attendance figures this season. Perhaps some people would sympathize with the WPSPU on certain issues, but would ultimately want what’s best for the league and its owners. They might look at the situation from a business standpoint and favor the side that they believe is more likely to ensure the league’s survival. What’s the union’s response to that kind of sentiment and how much leverage do players have in these matters?

JH: The league’s survival absolutely depends on owner involvement and good management. In order to be the best women’s league in the world, however, the WPS needs top talent to come and stay year after year – they won’t come if they can’t rely on health care and injury protection, and they won’t stay if salaries are perilously low. There is a huge salary disparity across the league right now that creates instability, and everyone would benefit from increased transparency. The players are only looking to support the league and help nudge it in the right direction.

AWK: What would be the most optimal turn of events for both the WPSPU and WPS moving forward?

JH: Ideally, I would like to see this summer’s World Cup increase interest in the women’s game and strengthen the league. I would also like to see us sign a CBA by early August that includes, among other things, provisions for comprehensive health care and salary minimums that are fair and consistent.

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