The Sounders FC Alliance Council firmly supports the Seattle Sounders FC players in their pursuit of fairand increased compensation for participating inthe FIFA Club World Cup. At the time of negotiating thecurrent Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the expanded version of this tournament did not exist. Itis unreasonable to argue that the players bargained for participation in an event that was fundamentallychanged after negotiations concluded.
Major League Soccer (MLS) leveraged the unprecedented circumstances surrounding COVID-19,including the looming threat of a league lockout, to compel players into twice re-negotiating their ownCBA agreements in 2020 and 2021. It is those particular concessions by the players that extended theoutdated CBA bonus clause to cover this event. It is imperative that MLS now honor the principles ofgood faith negotiations and incentivizing future success rather than pursuing actions that underminelabor protections and the fair treatment of its players.
The Alliance Council is united with our players, calling upon MLS to engage in sincere and transparentnegotiations, ensuring that our athletes receive just compensation and respect for their participation inthe prestigiousFIFAClub World Cup.
Sounders FC Alliance Council 