MLS Referee Lockout Ends But Anti-Union Approach Leaves Sour Taste

An employer-enforced lockout that prevented the top referees in Major League Soccer from working the first six matchdays of the 2024 season came to an end on Tuesday when the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization (PRO).

The seven-year labor agreement marked the end of a denial of employment by PRO and MLS which meant scab workers took to the field to referee games in place of PSRA members for the opening weeks of the season.

These referees from the lower levels of the game were increasingly under the spotlight as numerous game-altering decisions were criticized by coaches, players and fans from across the league.

Though there was some highlighting of questionable decisions, some of which were blatantly incorrect, direct mentions of the referee lockout by coaches and players, or on official broadcasts of MLS games and their post-match discussions or reactions were rare.

Players were discouraged from showing visible or physical solidarity via their own union, the Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA), due to a no strike clause in their own collective bargaining agreement with MLS. Any such action from players would lead to a forfeiting of salary.

A report by the Athletic earlier this month revealed that the league, which controls its own coverage through the MLS Season Pass streaming service on Apple AAPL TV, instructed its commentators and pundits to avoid any mention of the lockout during games or that those officiating the games were scab replacements.

“We don’t believe it is necessary to belabor the point during the match,” said a memo sent to the MLS Season Pass broadcasters.

The Athletic report also revealed that: "commentators were told they were welcome to ‘agree or disagree’ with any controversial calls, but not imply that the replacement referees were ‘the reason for the controversial call.’”

Though returning referees and groups of officials might make what are deemed to be mistakes by one side or the other, it was clear that the officiating at the start of the 2024 MLS season was not of a high enough professional standard and was not at the level MLS strives to be at or promotes itself as in relation to its stature in global soccer.

The PSRA were pushing for their workers to be given professional pay and better working conditions befitting a top-flight league that has recently been able to attract one of the best players of all time, Lionel Messi.

“Don’t forget, refs had no collective bargaining rights for the first 18 years of MLS, which tells you something about MLS’s view of referees,” said Matt Foerster, a former MLS referee.

“For too long, MLS and US Soccer have relied on and benefited from the sheer love and passion referees have for the game, their willingness to sacrifice themselves and more lucrative careers to be a part of the game they love.”

One of the aims of PSRA members was to achieve a secure level of income for workers who dedicate their lives to soccer via refereeing but don’t receive pay and conditions that reflect the full-time nature of the job, and the hours put in outside of games to maintain required levels of fitness and availability.

Though an agreement was reached, the conduct of PRO and MLS during negotiations, some of which were considered anti-union by the PSRA, left a sour taste.

“There's some really unhappy officials out there, with the employers’ conduct and bargaining tactics,” PSRA president Peter Manikowski told Phil West of Verde All Day.

“They’re really unhappy, and it's gonna be a really unhappy workplace for a long time.”

Assistant VAR Jonathan Johnson posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday night confirming that PSRA officials will return for Matchday 7, while the Athletic reported details of the agreement which includes significant pay raises and a minimum of 15 match fees a year, offering some security for any officials missing lengthy spells of a season through injury.

The PSRA released a statement on Tuesday, which read: “We thank the hundreds of officials in the U.S. and Canada who stood in solidarity with us showing their strength and professionalism.

“Standing strong with each other, we have been buoyed by the support of players, fans, supporters clubs, and other unionized work groups during our employer-imposed lockout.

“Together, we have won much-needed improvements while demonstrating the value of having the best referees in Major League Soccer on the pitch.”