SEATTLE - After more than a month of negotiations, the lockout of MLS referees has come to an end as the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with their employer, the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) that will guarantee an increase in wages, more benefits and improve travel accommodations for referees.
The previous collective bargaining agreement between the two entities expired in Jan. 15, and after a month-long battle between both sides, the new deal was approved by 77% of the eligible voters, according to ESPN sources. This new deal will last until at least 2031 and PRO senior officials will be able to make a return to Major League Soccer as soon as March 30.
