Hi John,

Female professional athletes need unions. The issues that workers face are universal whether those workers are basketball players or teachers or welders.

A new documentary explores the groundbreaking work of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA)—the first and longest-running union in women’s professional sports—as the union prepares to make its decision on whether to opt-out of the groundbreaking agreement it secured in 2020 and return to the bargaining table in 2025.

“Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story” highlights the stories of Seattle Storm forward and WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike and New York Liberty star forwards Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.

“Shattered Glass” is so powerful in part because it doesn’t just tell a story about the state of gender equity in sports and the inner workings of contract negotiations within athletics. The players featured represent a larger, powerful story about our country and being a worker.

You don’t have to be a sports fanatic to appreciate this film.

You hear from athletes who are immigrants, who have children they’re trying to raise as best they can, and who are trying to balance work and family life. That’s the story of so many working people in this country. Even if you haven’t practiced your jumpshot in a while, it’s easy to see these athletes’ fight for a good contract as a universal one. We’re all just trying to secure the fair pay, good benefits and safe retirement we need. The players might have different personal backgrounds, but all of them have a goal in mind of not just improving their own conditions, but also building a league and a sport that is better for the next generations and takes care of past generations.

The documentary heavily delves into the lives of individual players in part because members are the union. Their stories, experiences and convictions inform negotiations and shape priorities. And their solidarity with each other, as well as their union brothers, sisters and siblings, shows how powerful collective organizing can be. Just like the stories of workers across all industries, all professions, all trades, “Shattered Glass” is about workers recognizing they hold power when they stand together.

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler makes an appearance as she helps support the WNBPA as it navigates player contract negotiations.

Thanks for tuning in and for standing with all America’s workers.

In Solidarity,

Team AFL-CIO

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