Source:
USA TODAY Sports/Simon Fearn
[Saba
Sports News] According to reports from US media, the referees of Major League
Soccer (MLS) are considering going on strike as their previous requests for
salary increases have not been addressed. The Professional Football Referees
Association (PSRA) has reportedly demanded a salary increase of up to 90%, with
the greatest raise allocated to the lowest-paid members. While the Professional
Referees Organization (PRO) has shown some willingness to negotiate and accept
a salary increase, they are not willing to meet the 90% demand, resulting in a
lack of progress between the two parties. As a result, a strike by MLS referees
is now a possibility. With less than half a month remaining until the start of
the new season, if this issue remains unresolved, MLS may take alternative
measures. One potential option is to preemptively exclude the referees, similar
to what occurred in 2014 during the last referee stoppage in US Soccer. This
approach would allow the league to make alternative plans and allocate more
time to find replacement referees.