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The Professional Referees Organization (PRO) will ban MLS referees, effective at 12 a.m. ET on February 18, PRO announced Saturday.
The news comes shortly after the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA), the union representing professional referees in North America and Canada, announced that its members voted overwhelmingly to reject its officials’ tentative agreement with PRO to a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) through a 95.8 percent “no” vote.
Inter Miami hosts Real Salt Lake on Wednesday to kick off the MLS season. Barring drastic changes in the coming days, that match will be refereed by replacement referees. This weekend there is a full schedule of MLS games, the first of the 2024 season.
The Athletic reported on January 22 that PRSA members voted unanimously to authorize a strike. The Athletic It was also previously reported that the PSRA filed an unfair labor practices charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging that PRO engaged in “direct dealings,” bypassing union leadership and communicating directly with PSRA members.
“We live for the game, giving it 100 percent of our dedication, experience, fitness and ability,” PRSA president and chief negotiator Peter Manikowski said in a statement Saturday. “The rapid growth of MLS has significantly increased the mental and physical demands on officials and, as such, has increased demands on both our professional and personal time.
“Our members are asking not only for fair compensation at a time when the league is seeing record growth, but also for the ability to take care of themselves on the road and at home to continue officiating at the highest level this sport demands.”
The previous collective bargaining agreement between the PSRA and the PRO, the MLS-funded body that manages professional refereeing in the United States and Canada, expired on January 15. Leaders of both groups reached a tentative agreement last week, but PRSA members rejected it.
“It has been essential to reach a fair agreement and move forward together with renewed positivity ahead of our 12th year supporting the growth of the professional game in the United States and Canada,” PRO general manager Mark Geiger said in a statement. “The result of the members’ vote is disappointing.”
In a statement following the news, MLS issued a statement stating that the CBA “would have made PRO members among the highest-paid soccer officials in the world.”
“It is extremely disappointing that officials voted against the tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement reached by the PSRA and the PRO,” MLS executive vice president of sports products and competition Nelson Rodríguez said in a statement.
“PRO worked for months and addressed all the issues raised by the PSRA negotiating unit. It is also regrettable that the PSRA rejected the PRO’s offer of a mutual no-strike or lockout commitment, which would have allowed all match officials to continue working during the ongoing negotiations.
“PRO has informed us of its contingency plan for the upcoming MLS season, which includes the use of experienced professional referees supported by veteran VAR officials. “We trust in the comprehensive plan they have implemented.”
PRO announced that overall salary increases for the first year included: between 10 and 33 percent for referees, between 75 and 104 percent for assistant referees and between 15 and 100 percent for match referees. video matches, as well as higher fees for regular matches. Season and playoff games. The agreement also included first or business class air travel for the playoffs and MLS Cup throughout the agreement.
PRSA said it is committed to quickly returning to the negotiating table. The PRO said he remains committed to reaching an agreement with the PRSA.
Required reading on the eve of the 2024 MLS season
(Melinda Meijer/ISI Photos/Getty Images)