USL emails players about union resignation procedures as strike looms | Football
The United Soccer League (USL) sent an email to all contracted players in the second division league on Wednesday evening with information on procedures for crossing a possible picket line and resigning their membership in the USL Players’ Association, multiple sources confirmed to the Guardian.
The USL, which operates the Second Division Championship and Third Division Ligue 1 as America’s professional men’s leagues, has been engaged in collective negotiations with Championship players for more than a year, with tensions recently erupting into the public eye. The previous agreement between the league and the USL Players Association (USLPA) expired on December 31, 2025.
Late last week, USLPA members voted to authorize a strike call if a new agreement cannot be reached before the 2026 season, which is scheduled to kick off on March 6. Recent negotiations saw the parties include a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and another round of negotiations was held on Wednesday.
The league also posted a public update on its website Wednesday, initially posting at 11 a.m. ET with a subtitle “Setting the record straight” and posting an update after “several hours of negotiations today (March 4)” at 8 p.m. ET. The email to players landed in their inboxes at the same time as this latest update.
The email sent to players included a PDF file on USL Championship branded letterhead, addressed “To: All USL Championship Players” and “From: USL Championship Clubs and USL HQ.” In it, the league office said it was “disappointed to learn that the USLPA has nevertheless decided to exercise your right to authorize a strike” following a specific offer filed on February 24, 2026. “While this is disappointing, we want to provide you with the following information regarding your rights and obligations during the strike.
A USL spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by the Guardian. The USL Players’ Association issued a statement in response, saying the “timing and tone” of the USL email was “classic union busting” and an “attempt to inject fear and confusion into the bargaining process.”
“The Players Association has been transparent with its members at every step of the process, and players are fully aware of their rights and the realities of these negotiations,” the statement read in part. “The bigger question is why a professional football league is warning players about the consequences of a strike instead of asking why so many players feel obligated to authorize their bargaining committee to call one if necessary… If anything, this kind of pressure campaign only reinforces why the players voted to grant strike authorization in the first place.”
In the email to players Wednesday evening, the USL clarified that league operations “can continue under existing terms – commonly referred to as the dynamic status quo – while negotiations continue. That said, we believe finalizing a new agreement is in everyone’s best interest.”
The email goes on to acknowledge several elements of a potential second CBA, including “mandatory 12-month contracts”, “minimum remuneration increased by more than 20% compared to the last CBA”, “health insurance offered to all players” and minimum standards for club housing, team meals, training facilities and travel.
After summarizing recent discussions in more detail, the league email continues:
“We are aware that the players have now voted to authorize a strike. We respect your right to make this decision. At the same time, we believe that a work stoppage is a serious step that carries significant consequences for players, clubs and fans across the League. In response to concerns that have surfaced regarding your legal rights and obligations during a potential strike, please see the attached FAQ document.
An active Championship player, who confirmed the accuracy of the email obtained by the Guardian and who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect against possible retaliation, said the email took players by surprise. As the locker room discussed it, several players said the email ended up in their “spam” or “junk” folders because they never received direct correspondence from that league email address before Wednesday.
“I just think it’s bullshit,” the player said. “You know, we’re getting closer to the first game, and now they kind of want to take the lead, try to split the group. Especially those of us who have been [in the league] For a while now, we have been remembering $0 contracts. For them to send something like that to try to scare us, with what they’ve been paying us for so long, I think it’s bullshit. At this point, the league needs to get serious.
The FAQ portion of the document is formatted in a two-column chart with 16 questions and answers about a potential work stoppage. The former clarify that “yes,” the USL Championship plans to continue operating” and “no,” players will not continue to earn the wages owed in their Standard Player Agreement” before giving advice on how to cross a picket line and how players can resign their union membership.
The USLPA outlined a series of problems with the USL in an open letter dated Dec. 30, including the fact that “approximately 85 percent” of players did not have 12-month contracts, lack of health insurance for more than a quarter of the USL Championship players, gross salaries of less than $35,000 per year for about a quarter of the players and some of them being eligible for food assistance programs.
The letter continues: “It is not fair to promote a bold vision for the future of American soccer while, behind the scenes, denying the players’ basic professional standards. What is said publicly must match what the players experience in negotiations.”
