The Major League Soccer Players Union, also referred to as MLS Players Union or MLSPU, is the union

Trade union

A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...

 of professional Major League Soccer

Major League Soccer

Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...

 players. The Players Union serves as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for all current players in MLS.

History

The Major League Soccer Players Union was formed in April 2003. The founding members of the Players Union’s Executive Board included Landon Donovan

Landon Donovan

Landon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....

, Tim Howard

Tim Howard

Timothy Matthew Howard is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for English club Everton and the United States national team....

, Chris Klein

Chris Klein (soccer)

Chris Klein is a former American soccer player.Klein spent the entirety of his 12-year professional career playing in Major League Soccer, for the Kansas City Wizards, Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles Galaxy, winning the MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield with Kansas in 2000, and the Supporters' Shield...

, Alexi Lalas

Alexi Lalas

Panayotis Alexander Lalas is a retired American soccer player who played mostly as a defender for the United States national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup...

 and Ben Olsen

Ben Olsen

Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia...

. After negotiating with MLS in 2003 and 2004, on December 1, 2004, the Players Union and MLS signed the first-ever collective bargaining agreement (CBA) covering MLS players. Prior to the CBA, the minimum salaries for players had never increased, players received no form of retirement benefits, and many players lacked basic health insurance. Among other things, the CBA increased minimum salaries, established a 401(k)

401(k)

A 401 is a type of retirement savings account in the United States, which takes its name from subsection of the Internal Revenue Code . A contributor can begin to withdraw funds after reaching the age of 59 1/2 years...

plan with guaranteed contributions from MLS, and guaranteed that all players and their families will be provided with 100% fully paid health insurance benefits. In addition, the CBA provides for an independent arbitrator to hear disputes between MLS and the players. MLS and the Players Union also negotiated a substance abuse policy covering all players in the league, as well as a Group License Agreement.

2010 Negotiations

The CBA ran through the 2009 season, and the labor agreement expired on January 31, 2010. Progress had been reported in negotiations with the players union, with the major issues reportedly player transfer and guaranteed contacts. The union had accused MLS of failing to abide by international regulations set down by governing body FIFA, but the league denies the charge. FIFA said they will not intervene in a labor dispute. The Union advised players to report to camp as planned. Reports had been conflicting about the actual possibility of a work stoppage. Both sides agreed to extend talks to February 12, and then extended then again to February 25, 2010. On March 20, 2010, the MLS and MLSPU agreed to a 5 year agreement.

External links

Official Website: http://www.mlsplayers.org/