League pressure fuels WNBA CBA talks, dividing players. Union director points to the WNBA's tactics as the source of growing frustration and negotiation delays.
If anything, this year in the history book will go down as the WNBA’s most transformative phase. After much said and not much done, tensions surrounding the WNBA’s ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations have begun to surface publicly.
However, WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson believes the league’s approach is largely responsible for the growing frustration among players.
The negotiations have intensified since the WNBA set a March 10 target date to finalize a new CBA in order to avoid delaying the 2026 season. In the days that followed, signs of internal concern emerged within the players’ union.
A three-page letter sent by WNBPA first vice president Kelsey Plum and vice president Breanna Stewart to Jackson raised “serious concerns” about how the negotiations have been handled. The letter, which was also shared with the union’s executive committee and staff, suggested that the lack of progress stemmed from a breakdown in communication between union leadership and players.
Jackson addressed those concerns in an interview with Front Office Sports, acknowledging that frustration exists but pushing back against the idea that the union’s strategy is the problem.
“I think you’re hearing that there is a discomfort with what’s been playing out,” Jackson said. “I don’t know that there’s a discomfort with what we’re doing.”
According to Jackson, much of the tension stems from the pressure applied by the league during negotiations. She suggested the WNBA has prolonged the process while using time as leverage.
“The league putting pressure on the players, the league dragging this out,” Jackson said. “The one thing I said to them is they have one tool and their tool is to out wait you.”
Negotiations have been contentious for months. The union previously submitted a proposal in December, but the league reportedly did not engage with it for roughly six weeks. When both sides met in person on February 2, the WNBA arrived without a counterproposal.
Despite the recent criticism, some players say communication within the union remains strong. WNBPA secretary Elizabeth Williams said she had not heard complaints about transparency until recently, suggesting the faster pace of negotiations may have created confusion for some members.
The union also recently surveyed WNBA players about the league’s latest proposal. Of the 114 players who participated, 84% voted in favor of continuing negotiations to push for a higher percentage of revenue sharing.
While players previously authorized a strike in December with overwhelming support, sentiment around that possibility appears to be shifting. Jackson emphasized that the goal remains reaching an agreement rather than halting the season.
“Nobody wants a strike,” she said. “Players are frustrated and disappointed that a negotiation that started early is still ongoing.”
With the league awaiting a counterproposal from the union, negotiations are expected to continue in the coming days as both sides attempt to reach a deal before the looming deadline.