RESOLUTION NO. 8558 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA, PROCLAIMING SUPPORT FOR WOMEN BASKETBALL PLAYERS AND URGING THE WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION TO NEGOTIATE EQUITABLE CONTRACTS THAT PROVIDE WAGES AND BENEFITS, AND IMPROVED WORKING CONDITIONS THAT PRIORITIZE THEIR HEALTH, SAFETY, AND HOLISTIC WELL-BEING
 

Staff Recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 8558
 

This resolution affirms the Hawthorne City Council’s support for Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) athletes and urges the WNBA to negotiate equitable contracts that ensure players receive fair wages, benefits, and working conditions that prioritize their health, safety, and holistic well-being. The WNBPA is the first professional sports union for women in the United States and has represented WNBA players since 1998. Its members—athletes across thirteen U.S. teams, with expansion underway—are now engaged in their sixth contract negotiation with the WNBA. Despite historic growth in revenue, attendance, and expansion, negotiations remain far apart. Players are calling for fair revenue sharing, pay equity, and professional standards that reflect their invaluable contributions to the sport.

This resolution highlights the following key points:

• Players currently receive no shared revenue from league-wide earnings, unlike their counterparts in the NBA, NFL, and NHL, who receive nearly half of shared revenue streams.
• The WNBPA’s contract demands are critical to advancing gender pay equity, supporting athletes’ health and safety, and recognizing their role in the WNBA’s growth and prosperity.
• The current contract is set to expire on October 31, 2025. A failure to reach an agreement could result in a strike, lockout, or other disruptions, negatively affecting players, fans, host cities, and local economies.

Adopting this resolution demonstrates the City's solidarity with these professional women athletes as they advocate for fair treatment, just compensation, and workplace protections.
 

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72 hours posted notice pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act