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Kevin Seifert
United Football Players Association ratified a new deal on collective negotiations with United Football League and, according to trade union officials, ended almost six months of negotiations.
The agreement that is waiting for the final approval from UFL is retroactive at the beginning of the training camp, which was opened on 2 March, and extends to the end of the 2026 season.
The new CBA includes an annual increase in $ 7,005 to the minimum salary of players, from $ 55,000 to $ 62,005 for players who participate in all 10 regular seasons, and all players cause all players and cause year -round health care. The minimum salary for 2026 will be $ 64,000.
“I think this is a reflection of the fact that UFL and UFPA eventually wanted to connect to achieve a sustainable trade that will ensure that spring football will stay here,” said Harry Marino, President of Solidarity Sports and the main negotiator of UFPA for CBA. “And so hard fought as negotiations, I think it will turn the page and say,” Okay, now we will work in a partnership to make sure this thing lasts and succeeds. “”
UFL did not immediately comment on the agreement.
The certainty of work should lead to greater continuity between the player fund, said Michigan Panthers Quarterback Danny Etling.
“It’s good not only for league investors, but only for the league in general to give it some stability,” Etling said. “So then we are not in negotiation next year and try to do the same, to have it in the season, but also for players who have the ability to have a certain consistency there, for players who are planning with their families and try to get people to return for several seasons.”
Players began to express concerns about the direction of interviews before the training camp, when the 24 Quarterbacks signed a letter expressed their disappointment and announced that in February the league Quarterback Tábor was skipped. Some players felt threatened during the first week of training camp when the coaches informed them that they could be released If they follow the discussions of the boycott of the league media days, three players confirmed ESPN in March.
The The league clarified If there was a boycott and all required players appeared, there would be a discipline, but no loss of work. But former memphis showboats quarterback quinten dormady was released A day later and said ESPN that he believes that his leading role in the Union is a “driving factor”. In response to the league, it partly stated that “any transactions of players are purely the result of team level football decisions and have nothing to do with collective negotiations.”
UFPA filed a complaint with unfair job practices With the National Council for Work Relations, but this is likely to be withdrawn.
The parties remained in contact all the time and eventually the league agreed to increase the salary and the pattern of health care, which gives players seven months of insurance, followed by a subsidized Cobra after another five months. In 2024, players were insured only during the four -month UFL season.
One of the advantages of healthcare agreement, players said ESPN, opening the way for players who have no longer been eligible to stay their parents’ insurance after the age of 26.
“Many people began to realize that sometimes it may take perhaps a year, two years, three years in spring football, to go back to the NFL,” said St. Louis Battlehawks Better Sterling Hofrichter, who is 28 years old.
