It’s time for the MLR to voluntarily recognize the Players Association
Major League Rugby currently has unilateral control to set the terms and conditions under which players ply their trade, and the structures set up by the league fail to provide players with adequate safeguards or protections.
The players have endured the expulsion of three teams in 2022, which developed into a player welfare nightmare as players and their families were left without housing and medical care for months. They work without health insurance for themselves or their families, without guarantees of care for returning to play after injury, and play on dangerous surfaces not intended for our sport.
Supporting the union and giving the players a seat at the table means safety, security and strength for the future of the league and for the players and their families.
“When the MLR disbanded the LA & Austin franchises, the players were left in the lurch for months. The league fumbled as we weren’t allowed to negotiate with other teams, even players whose contracts were up. It forced great players into retirement and caused tremendous amounts of financial and mental stress. My wife was pregnant, and we lived in limbo for five months, unsure of where we were going to deliver the baby. If we had a union, there would be processes in place to protect us during a situation like that.”
-Bryce Campbell
Safety
It’s time for the MLR and its owners to recognize that workers’ compensation is not healthcare.
The lack of coverage has negatively impacted players around the league, forcing some into early retirement
The Players want the league to improve its insurance products to guarantee and protect the rehabilitation of its players, and offer players and their families group health coverage.
Security
Players do not have a say in the terms and conditions of their employment and are subject to the whims of the league’s front office whose job is to advance the owners’ interest.
Players simply want to have a representative voice of their own and the ability to negotiate fair terms through the collective bargaining process.
Strength
By ensuring equitable standards for the players, it means an fair and successful future for the league, where we can grow the game together and recruit the next generations of pro rugby players into a league that supports a positive future for them.
Players want to be a central part of that process and believe that having a seat at the table will better facilitate those goals through our collaboration for mutual growth and success.
Join us.
About the USRPA
USRPA is an independent players union established by, and operated for the benefit of, professional rugby players in America. We are the recognized collective bargaining representative for the Players on the United States National Teams. Our mission is to serve, protect, represent, promote, and develop our Players both on and off the pitch. We seek to develop rugby in North America, and work to ensure our players are always a central stakeholder in that process. For more info, click here.