Victory! USA Womens Hockey Team Just Won Their Strike

[DinahMoeHum]

Last edited Sat Feb 24, 2018, 12:14 PM - Edit history (1)

(Moderators, I trust this thread is much more than sports - it has crucial lessons in labor movement issues, ie. solidarity, resistance to scabs, etc. and could well become a textbook case in future studies)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

These women have shown female athletes as well as the labor movement what winning looks like. - Dave Zirin

https://www.thenation.com/article/victory-usa-womens-hockey-team-just-won-their-strike/

(snip)
Here is what was won:

The wages, which were a four-figure pittance, will now be $70,000 per year with bonus opportunities for Olympic and World Championship victories.
There will now be a $950,000 “compensation pool” for players (think back-pay).
Everyone on the team will get a pre-bonus base salary of $4,000 per month, quite a boost from the old rate of $6,000 a year, every four years (wages for “Olympic training”). The USOC also stepped up with $750 to $2,000 per month based on a player’s experience.
For the first time, they will get the same amount of meal money as the men’s team—a $50 per diem on non-travel days. Before this, the women’s per-diem was about $24.
For the first time, their travel accommodations and insurance will be equal to the men as well.
Most importantly for the team, there will finally be a committee aimed at developing youth hockey for girls, and greater promotion for the women’s game.

This is what victory looks like.
(snip)

Further reading:
http://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/19026627/usa-hockey-us-women-national-team-reach-agreement-avoid-boycott

http://www.espn.com/espnw/voices/article/19027162/us-women-hockey-team-why-cammi-granato-proud-women-landmark-deal

And especially:
https://www.thenation.com/article/the-us-womens-ice-hockey-team-is-on-strike-and-the-solidarity-is-stunning/

Emphasis on: . . .the solidarity is stunning. . .

Furthermore, the women's team got the backing of at least 20 US Senators:
https://www.warren.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1514

[RedWedge]

1. Agreeing to 70K after insisting all they could do was 1k/month for six months is just insulting.

But this story is a good reminder that power never grants anything voluntarily. Take it easy, but take it!

[irisblue]

2. Good for them. Equality counts

Hockey is a challanging sport to play

[kcr]

3. This is great news

Great news for equality and labor

[procon]

4. I had no idea there was such a huge wage gap between women and men in sports.

These demeaning sexist traps are carried over from a bygone era by men who certainly profit and benefit from the work these women do to advance their sport, but the cheapskates don't want to pay for it.

Another reason to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and put a stop to this gender based wage discrimination.

[gratuitous]

5. Wow, you mean if we fight, we can win?

That's not the message I ever get from my betters, the benevolent overlords who tell me that whatever the system in place now is as good as it could ever be.

[HeartachesNhangovers]

6. Excellent! Determination and solidarity for the win.

[brewens]

7. Good for them, but I thought women's Olympic hockey was on the ropes. This was from

a couple of years ago I suppose. The Olympic committee was saying their needed to be more than just the USA and Canada with competitive teams. Maybe that's turning around? I hope so.

[Gothmog]

8. Yeah

[tammywammy]

9. Rec

This is great news. All four of the major sports unions were supporting the women's hockey players (NHL, NFL, NBA, & MLB).

They were only being paid $6,000 for the year leading up to the Winter Olympics. This is a great win for them.

[DinahMoeHum]

10. An interview and a message. . .

An ESPN interview with Team USA co-captain Hilary Knight:
http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=19027543

A Twitter message from captain Meghan Duggan and teammates:

Link to tweet

[MicaelS]

11. Outstanding!

They play at the pro level they should be payed at that level.