Disheartening news on the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations between Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Union today; the league's proposal last week has the players threatening to strike if it is not improved considerably.


The league has rejected the players push for guaranteed contracts, as well as an elimination of club option clauses currently included in MLS contracts. The former is mentioned regularly as a focus of the players, though it runs counter to most player contracts around the world, while the former is viewed by the players as being in violation of FIFA regulations.


Though the league has proposed a salary cap increase, the players have labelled it a "joke". The cap would increase in single-digit percentage increments in the league's proposal, a disappointing response that seems ridiculous in light of successes gained in recent years.


Workers compensation is another sticky issue, with the league pushing to recoup expenses paid for player injuries if that player receives a workers comp award.


As frustrating as this news is, and as ridiculous as a players strike sounds, remember that negotiations are still in the game-of-chicken phase. I harbored worries that the league would over play their hand, and push for restrictive and overly-restrictive financial terms, fears today's update has done nothing to ease. The union is maintaining that a strike is in play partly because many of the league's players can simply find jobs with equal pay; the minuscule salaries paid on the low end of the MLS scale give them a "nothing to lose" attitude.


A strike would be catastrophic to top-flight professional soccer in the United States, and both sides need to keep that in mind. The current CBA expires January 31st; I expect them to get much closer over the course of the next two and half months, but there will likely be one or two issues that will determine if an agreement is reached before that deadline. Let's hope the owners and the union can reach common ground.