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MLS referee lockout ends as new CBA agreed to through January 2031

The agreement extends through January 2031, the longest CBA for match officials in Major League Soccer history.

DALLAS — The Major League Soccer (MLS) referee lockout has ended after a month of using replacement referees. 

The league announced Tuesday that the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) and Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) finalized a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which extends until January 31, 2031. The seven year deal is the longest CBA for match officials in Major League Soccer history, the league said in a press release.

The match officials represented by PSRA will return to officiate MLS games beginning March 30.

The Athletic was first to report the CBA agreement.

"We thank the hundreds of officials in the U.S. and Canada who stood in solidarity with us showing their strength and professionalism," the PSRA said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Standing strong with each other, we have been buoyed by the support of players, fans, supporters clubs and other unionized workgroups 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."

PSRA President Peter Manikowski told WFAA in an email Tuesday morning the CBA was voted 77% in favor.

Mark Geiger, PRO’s general manager, said of the CBA agreement:

“We look forward to welcoming our senior match officials back this upcoming match round. It has been a difficult time for everyone as we worked to reach an agreement. This seven-year term provides enhanced pay and benefits for all officials and the stability that will support the growth of the professional game in the United States and Canada. On behalf of PRO, I would like to thank the PSRA negotiating team and the federal mediator for their commitment to finding a mutually agreeable conclusion to these negotiations and their hard work in finalizing the terms."

The MLS referee lockout began on Feb. 18 after the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) voted down the proposed CBA at the time. Referees representing the PSRA picketed in New York outside the MLS corporate offices and also in Dallas where PRO was reportedly meeting with replacement refs to train them.

MLS Executive Vice President of Sporting Product & Competition Nelson Rodríguez issued the following statement regarding the new CBA:

“Major League Soccer has some of the best match officials in the world, and PRO’s new CBA with PSRA recognizes that by committing substantial resources to the referee program -- an investment that ranks among the highest for any global soccer league. We’re pleased this agreement provides PRO with a strong, long-term partnership to continue to develop and train the referees to make our officiating even better. We thank PRO and the match officials who’ve worked selflessly since the start of the 2024 MLS season. Many of these officials were already advancing toward becoming PRO match officials, and their participation provided important on-field experience, which will continue to benefit PRO, MLS and all the other leagues in the future. We look forward to having the PRO match officials return this weekend, and we thank MLS players, coaches and clubs for their professionalism, and our fans for their support throughout the opening month of the season.”

During the lockout, WFAA spoke with three referees about the lockout: Joe Dickerson, Chris Penso and Allen Chapman. At the time, among the biggest sticking points for the PSRA referees were wages, health care and travel benefits.

The newly-approved deal, according to ESPN, "the CBA adds "several million" in wages to what was contained in the first tentative agreement for referees, assistant referees, VAR officials and assistant VAR officials." The pay increases are dependent on the level of a referee's experience, but The Athletic reported that probationary referees will receive a 68% increase in pay, while probationary assistants will receive an 88% increase.

Manikowski confirmed to WFAA the tentative agreement "included more wages and the wages accelerating faster." Manikowski also confirmed the seven-year time period was longer than the previous CBA proposal, which was for five years.

“Labor is strong when workers push together. We are proud of our members who had to weather a lockout and all the while worked as a union. And to referees, fans, players, and workers in North America who supported us - we thank them for their solidarity,” Manikowski said in a statement to WFAA.

In terms of travel benefits, ESPN reported that their source told them "travel benefits did improve overall." According to The Athletic's report, small gains were made for travel  in terms of scheduling flights and first-class travel on "Decision Day" -- but there was no change from what was in the first tentative agreement.

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