ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP-CP) — The Professional Referee Organization is locking out referees after their union rejected a tentative contract, putting Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami on track to open the season next week with replacement officials.
The Professional Soccer Referees Association said Saturday that 95.8 per cent voted against a tentative agreement with the Professional Referee Organization, which supplies match officials to MLS, the NWSL and some lower-tier leagues. The union said 97.8 per cent of approximately 260 eligible members voted.
The PSRA also rejected a proposal from PRO for the parties to mutually agree not to institute a strike or lockout through the 2024 MLS Cup while negotiations continue.
A five-year agreement had been set to expire Jan. 15, and a pair of brief extensions ended Monday.
The league said PRO will lock out the union Sunday. PRO and the PSRA have been negotiating since October 2023.
"Time has been of the essence to conclude a fair deal and move forward together with renewed positivity ahead of our 12th year of supporting the growth of the professional game in the United States and Canada," Mark Geiger, PRO's general manager, said in a statement.
"We made meaningful progress during recent bargaining, agreeing to fair pay increases, and addressing many of the PSRA's concerns with respect to non-economic items. This represented approximately a 25 per cent overall increase over 2023 when comparing salary, retainers, game fees, and benefits plus the addition of business class travel for the MLS Cup playoffs. The result of the membership vote is disappointing."
Added Geiger: "We are left with no choice but to institute a lockout and use qualified non-bargaining unit officials so that games can go ahead as scheduled.
The PSRA said in a statement the tentative agreement lacked a sufficient economic package and quality-of-life improvements.
“The skyrocketing growth of MLS has significantly increased demands on officials mentally and physically, and as such has increased demands on both our professional and personal time,” union president Peter Manikowski said in a statement.
The league said PRO's proposal for wages, benefits and travel was a 25 per cent improvement from last year.
Messi and Miami play the MLS opener at home against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday.
MLS used replacement officials for the first two weeks of its 2014 season before reaching a contract.
League executive vice president Nelson Rodriguez said the union rejected a no strike-no lockout proposal. He said in statement PRO would use “experienced professional match referees supported by veteran VAR officials,” a reference to the video assistant referees.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
The Associated Press
