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SPORTS Saturday 9 March 2019

Women’s national soccer team players sue for equitable pay

By ANNE M. PETERSON federation, wrote in a May
AP Sports Writer 2016 letter to the EEOC
Three months before be- that over the previous four
ginning their defense of years, women’s national
their Women’s World Cup team players averaged
title, American players es- almost $280,000, a figure
calated their legal dispute $90,000 more than men’s
with the U.S. Soccer Feder- national team players. She
ation over equal treatment pointed out that women
and pay. receive benefits the men
Players filed a federal dis- don’t, including severance
crimination lawsuit against pay, medical insurance,
the federation Friday, alleg- maternity leave, child care
ing ongoing “institutional- and a relocation allow-
ized gender discrimination” ance.
that includes unequal pay Ruemmler also said men’s
with their counterparts on games generated about
the men’s national team. $144 million from 2008-15,
The women’s team has while women’s matches
often championed equal generated $53 million, and
rights issues and sought television ratings for men’s
more equitable pay during games from 2013-15 aver-
collective bargaining two aged twice the figure for
years ago. women’s matches.
“I think a lot of people look But those figures were for
to us and our team and years prior to the women’s
the collective voice that 2015 World Cup victory
we have and what we’ve and also did not include
stood for, for inspiration the men’s failure to reach
and for power, and as an the 2018 World Cup. The
ally in this broader fight for women’s team brought in
equality and human rights, $6.6 million in profit in 2015,
really,” said winger Megan United States’ Tobin Heath, second from right, is congratulated on her goal by Mallory Pugh (11), compared to less than $2
Rapinoe, a co-captain and Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan (13) during the first half of a SheBelieves Cup soccer match million for the men’s team.
veteran of 149 international against Brazil Tuesday, March 5, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. Following the EEOC action,
appearances. Associated Press the women took the fight
The 28 members of the cur- ferently. That means there a similarly situated men’s salaries paid by the USSF for for equality into contract
rent women’s player pool is no dollar-to-dollar salary player. their time with clubs in the negotiations and struck
filed the lawsuit in U.S. Dis- comparison. A pay disparity was very National Women’s Soccer a collective bargaining
trict Court in Los Angeles The lawsuit claims that from apparent at the World League. The men get paid agreement covering 2017-
under the Equal Pay Act March 2013 through Dec. Cup: In 2014, the federa- based on roster selection 21. Players received raises
and Title VII of the Civil 31, 2016, when the previ- tion gave the men’s roster for appearances for friend- in base pay and bonuses as
Rights Act. The lawsuit, ous collective bargaining a performance bonus of lies and tournaments. well as better provisions for
which seeks class-action agreement expired, play- nearly $5.4 million after the While star players on the travel and accommoda-
status, was filed on Interna- ers on the women’s team U.S. went out in the round women’s team, like forward tions, including increased
tional Women’s Day. could make a maximum of 16 in Brazil. The women’s Alex Morgan, can make as per diems. It also gave the
Players seek damages that salary of $72,000, plus bo- team received a bonus of much as their male coun- players some control of
include back pay. nuses for winning non-tour- $1.72 million after winning terparts because of en- certain licensing and mar-
“We believe it is our duty nament games as well as the 2015 World Cup in Can- dorsement deals, the dis- keting rights.
to be the role models that World Cup appearances ada. parity becomes greater for The lawsuit filed Friday
we’ve set out to be and and victories, and for Olym- The last time the U.S. men players with lesser profiles. seeks “an adjustment of
fight to what we know we pic placement. made the World Cup field Terms of the collective bar- the wage rates and ben-
legally deserve,” forward “A comparison of the WNT (for Brazil) male players gaining agreements have efits” for the women.
Christen Press told The As- and MNT pay shows that selected to the roster re- not been made public. “At the heart of this whole
sociated Press. “And hope- if each team played 20 ceived a $55,000 bonus, A group of players filed a issue we believe that it’s
fully in that way it inspires friendlies in a year and while the women received complaint in 2016 with the the right thing. We believe
women everywhere.” each team won all 20 $15,000 each for making federal Equal Employment that there has been dis-
The U.S. Women’s National friendlies, female WNT play- the 2015 World Cup, ac- Opportunity Commission crimination against us,”
Team Players Association is ers would earn a maxi- cording to court docu- that alleged wage discrimi- Rapinoe said. “And while
not party to the lawsuit but mum of $99,000 or $4,950 ments. Additionally, the nation by the federation. we have fought very hard
said in a statement it “sup- per game, while similarly men shared a $2 million bo- The new lawsuit effectively and for a long time, wheth-
ports the plaintiffs’ goal of situated male MNT players nus for qualifying, while the ends that EEOC complaint, er that be through our CBA
eliminating gender-based would earn an average women shared $300,000. brought by Morgan, Rapi- or through our players as-
discrimination by USSF.” of $263,320 or $13,166 per The USSF has long main- noe, Becky Sauerbrunn, sociation, putting ourselves
The USSF did not have an game against the various tained that any disparity is Carli Lloyd and former in the best possible posi-
immediate comment. levels of competition they the result of separate col- goalkeeper Hope Solo. The tion that we can to get
The men’s and women’s would face,” the lawsuit lective bargaining agree- players received a right-to- the best deal that we can,
U.S. national teams have says. ments. sue letter from the EEOC we still feel that we don’t
separate collective bar- It concludes that a top- Compensation for the last month. have what we’re trying to
gaining agreements, and tier women’s player would women includes a guar- Kathryn H. Ruemmler, a achieve, which is equality
their pay is structured dif- make only 38 percent of anteed salary and also lawyer representing the in the workplace.”q