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American Football Federation President Cindy Parlow Cone sent an open letter on Friday asking unions of women’s and men’s national teams to agree to tie the FIFA World Cup prizes.
She called on the men’s national team to allow the USSF to reallocate part of the FIFA World Cup payments from the federation to the women’s team. Parlow Cone said the USSF will offer both unions the same contract.
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The World Cup prize money has been one of the many sticking points between the USSF and the players, as their federation insists that FIFA controls the prize pot, it is beyond their control. to divide it equally.
USWNT players argue that there are a large number of games, such as World Cup qualifiers, where FIFA does not control the money.
Players led by Alex Morgan sued USSF in March 2019. US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said on Friday that the United States Women’s National Team and the Men’s National Team must unite to negotiate “a solution that equalizes the prices of the World Cup between the USMNT and the USWNT.” . “
“As a former player, I would like once again to make it clear that, along with all of US Soccer, I am 100% committed to equal pay for our national team players. let’s stay true to our commitment to ensuring equal pay for our team, “Parlow Cone said in the letter.” We are focused on demonstrating this commitment through action. As a federation, we would much prefer to negotiate a single collective agreement with the men’s and women’s teams, but as neither team has agreed to take this approach, we are moving forward separately with each player association.
“The huge gap between the FIFA World Cup prize money is by far the most difficult issue we continue to face in our parallel negotiations with the men’s and women’s national teams. remains austere.
“FIFA alone controls these funds, and US Soccer is legally obligated to distribute these funds based on our current negotiated collective agreements with the men’s and women’s teams.
“In this challenge, we see an opportunity to create change. To capitalize on this opportunity, we need our national men’s and women’s teams to come together and rethink the way we have done things in the past. To that end, we have invited the players and the two player associations to join US Soccer to jointly negotiate a solution that equalizes the prices of the World Cup between the USMNT and the USWNT. “
The USWNT Players’ Association and the players who sued the USSF have dismissed a number of claims made in the last letter.
“It is simply not true that in previous negotiations the Federation offered the Women’s National Team the“ same contract. ”If the USSF were serious about equal pay, it would not engage in any negotiations. advertising campaigns that wouldn’t solve our problems, ”USWNT Players Association executive director Becca Roux said in a statement.
“We want to negotiate in good faith to get a fair deal for our players and will not let them use our fight for equality to create a wedge between women and men. We remain committed to working with all parties for a deal. fair that raises all players. “
A spokesperson for those involved in the case said action is needed rather than words.
“USSF finally recognized that it was paying players less than players,” said USWNT player spokesperson Molly Levinson.
“USSF must correct this continuing disparity by reaching a collective bargaining agreement on equal pay and resolving the pending lawsuit. Letters to fans are not a substitute. It’s time to back up a lot of words with some action.”
The USMNT supported the USWNT’s equal pay lawsuit and filed an amicus brief signed by representatives of the male players’ union in July.
They backed the USWNT’s appeal after a judge dismissed their lawsuit.
They said the USSF “has spent more than three decades treating women after the fact, discriminating against them through inferior wages and working conditions, and forcing women to fight for equal pay and treatment. fair they deserve “.
This model, the brief continues, “sends a corrosive public message to women and girls that, even at the highest level, no matter how hard they work or how successful they are, they can and will be diminished and undervalued by their employers. is as disheartening as it is illegal. “
The women’s team’s union agreed to a deal with different benefits, such as healthcare, compensation for National Women’s Soccer League players, and maternity and pregnancy leave and pay. The deal for women also includes injury pay, 401 (k) plans and severance pay.
In their 2019 lawsuit, the women demanded more than $ 64 million in damages plus $ 3 million in interest under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act from 1964.
U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner in Los Angeles rejected the salary request in May 2020, ruling that the women had rejected a pay structure to play similar to the men’s agreement and accepted base salaries and social benefits greater than those of men.
He allowed their allegation of discriminatory working conditions to be tried. The women have called on the 9th Circuit to overturn the trial court’s decision and put their wage demands back on track.
A three-judge panel will likely hear oral argument at the end of this year or early 2022.
FIFA awarded $ 400 million in cash prizes to the 32 teams in the 2018 Men’s World Cup, including $ 38 million for the French champion.
It awarded $ 30 million to the 24 teams at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, including $ 4 million to the United States after the Americans won their second straight title.
FIFA raised the total to $ 440 million for the 2022 Men’s World Cup, and its president, Gianni Infantino, has offered FIFA to double the women’s prize to $ 60 million for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, in which FIFA increased the number of teams to 32.
Most federations frame their payments to players for World Cups on amounts from FIFA.
The USSF is negotiating a collective agreement with the women’s union to replace the one that expires on December 31.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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