US Soccer and their women’s side agree settlement to end equal pay dispute; US Soccer will pay the players $22m plus further $2m towards their post-career development and charitable aims; US Soccer also agrees to pay men’s and women’s players the same going forward
Wednesday 23 February 2022 08:40, UK
US Women National Team players have ended a six-year legal battle with their federation over equal pay, agreeing a deal worth $24m (£17.7m) plus bonuses to match the terms of the men.
The US Soccer Federation and the women's team announced the deal Tuesday, which will see the players receive $22m, around a third of the figure they had originally sought.
US Soccer also agreed to establish a fund with $2m to benefit the players in their post-soccer careers and charitable efforts aimed at growing the sport for women.
US Soccer committed to providing an equal rate of pay for the women's and men's national teams including World Cup bonuses, subject to collective bargaining agreements with the unions that separately represent the women and men.
"We are pleased to announce that, contingent on the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement, we will have resolved our longstanding dispute over equal pay and proudly stand together in a shared commitment to advancing equality in soccer," the players said in a joint statement with US Soccer.
USA midfielder Megan Rapinoe said: "For our generation, knowing that we're going to leave the game in an exponentially better place than when we found it is everything.
"That's what it's all about because, to be honest, there is no justice in all of this if we don't make sure it never happens again.
"It's a herculean task to win a World Cup, certainly in the fashion we did with all that we were fighting for off the field and this felt just as herculean or probably bigger in so many ways. I'm excited about moving forward."
The settlement has been viewed as a victory and a success for USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone, a former player who became head of the federation in March 2020.
Cone replaced Carlos Cordeiro, who quit after the federation made a legal filing that claimed women had less physical ability and responsibility than male counterparts.
"It's a win for everyone. It's a win for US Soccer, the players, for women's sport and for women in general," Cone said.
"I'll be the first to admit that the federation has made mistakes in the past and as a former player I definitely understand the frustration of being treated that way, but I'm very proud of the work that we've done and continue to do on equal pay and this is just one step towards rebuilding our relationship with the women's team.
"This is a great accomplishment. I think everyone should be excited. I know I am and I'm excited about the future and working together with them."
USA striker Alex Morgan added: "It's so gratifying to feel like we can start to mend a relationship with US Soccer that has been severed for so many years because of the discrimination that we faced. To finally get to this moment feels like we can almost sigh a breath of relief."
USA Women have won four World Cups since 1985, while the men have not reached a semi-final since 1930.
Five American stars led by Morgan and Rapinoe began the challenge with a complaint to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in April 2016.
They sued three years later, seeking damages under the federal Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
The sides settled the working conditions portion in December 2020, dealing with issues such as charter flights, accommodations and playing surfaces. They were scheduled to argue on March 7 before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in an attempt to reinstate the equal pay portion thrown out by a U.S. District Court.
"The settlement announced today is an important step in righting the many wrongs of the past," the union for the women's team said in a statement.
"While a labor contract remains to be reached and ratified to replace the deal that expires March 31, the settlement was an enormous step."
Sky Sports News' Anton Toloui:
"This is a huge victory not just for the players but for equal pay in sports in general simply because of the huge profile of this case. It has been in the courts for three years but this grievance with US Soccer goes back about six.
"Initially it was a fight to just get recognition and then two years ago a federal judge ruled in favour of the US Soccer and against the players' claims, extinguishing hopes among many but not the players themselves.
"The players have not just been fighting against unequal pay during the most successful time in US Soccer history but also what they call 'blatant misogyny'.
"US Soccer's previous president Carlos Cordeiro had to quit because the court findings showed he claimed there was 'indisputable science that women were inferior to men at sport' and that men needed 'more skill and responsibility than the women to play for the US'.
"It's a win for equal respect, a win for equal work conditions, it's a win for equal treatment and with US Soccer now promising to pay men and the women's sides equally going forwards towards the next World Cup, it's a victory for the next generation of players coming through."
