MLS players prepared to strike if CBA not reached

(si.com 3-11-10)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Major League Soccer players voted to strike if a new labor contract isn't agreed to before the season opener on March 25.

The league's first collective bargaining agreement, a five-year deal, originally was set to run out Jan. 31 but was extended twice while negotiations continued. It expired Feb. 25 after the MLS Players Union refused another extension.

"Recent comments from players simply reflect the fact that the players are unified and, per the results of our strike vote, will not begin the new season if a new agreement with the league is not reached," union executive director Bob Foose said in a statement Thursday.

The union did not detail the strike authorization vote.

Negotiators for management and players met Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington, D.C., in talks convened by George H. Cohen, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

On Thursday, Toronto defender Nick Garcia was quoted by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. as saying: "We're anticipating not having the season starting. ... As of now, for us, we're very far apart, even with the mediator there in D.C."

Unhappy with the single-entity structure that has resulted in the league negotiating all contracts since play began in 1996, players want greater free-agent rights and a higher percentage of guaranteed deals.

Player income averaged $147,945 at the start of last season, according to the union. But the median -- the point at which an equal number make above or below -- was $88,000 for 323 players listed.

"We have an understanding with the union and the mediator that we will not publicly discuss what takes place during these bargaining sessions, so we were disappointed when we saw comment from a number of players that both characterized the status of the negotiations and discussed the possibility of a strike," MLS president Mark Abbott said before Foose's announcement.

"The meetings this week were productive and we scheduled a number of additional meetings," Abbott said. "The players' comments do not accurately reflect the proposals that we've made to address their concerns or the productive nature of the discussions we've had between MLS and the union."

The threat of a strike comes as the Philadelphia Union, the league's 16th team, is set to join the competition in the league opener.

Abbott said MLS ticket sales have not been hurt by the lack of an agreement.

"The league continues to function business as usual," he said.

Los Angeles Galaxy captain Landon Donovan, whose loan to Everton is scheduled to end after Saturday's match at Birmingham, may be able to extend his stay in the English Premier League if there's a strike.

"There's not a strike, so there's nothing to address at the moment. Landon is going to be returning after this game this weekend," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. "We're proceeding ahead like we do a couple of weeks before any season."

Galaxy midfielder David Beckham already is on loan to AC Milan through the end of the Serie A season in May.

It is not clear whether players signed to contracts with MLS would have the ability during a strike to sign with clubs in other countries without MLS approval. MLS players under consideration for the U.S. World Cup roster could be sent to foreign clubs for training.