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TO LABOR, NATIONAL, AND SPORTS EDITORS:
FMCS Statement on Ratification of Agreement Between the Professional
Referee Organization (PRO) And the Professional Soccer Referees
Association (PSRA)
WASHINGTON, March 20, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Acting FMCS
Director Scot L. Beckenbaugh today issued the following statement
regarding the ratification of a collective bargaining agreement
between the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) and the
Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA):
"I am pleased to announce that late last night I was notified that the
membership of the Professional Soccer Referees Association has
ratified its first collective bargaining agreement with the
Professional Referee Organization. I have also been informed that
Executive Board of PRO has approved the contract. The ratification
vote was held following the achievement of a tentative agreement late
Tuesday night at the conclusion of two additional days of lengthy
mediation conducted under the auspices of Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service.
"The approval of this agreement between the Professional Referee
Organization (PRO) and the Professional Soccer Referees Association
(PSRA) ends the work stoppage affecting professional soccer in the
United States and Canada that began nearly two weeks ago. First
contracts sometimes pose difficult challenges as the parties seek to
define the parameters of a new formal relationship. The leadership of
both organizations and their representatives at the bargaining table
deserve praise for their patience and willingness to focus on mutually
acceptable solutions. I can assure soccer fans everywhere that both
parties remained committed and focused upon their shared goal of
contributing to the continuous improvement and growth of professional
soccer in North America.
"I also want to thank the spokespersons and representatives from both
PRO and PSRA for their cooperation and affirmative interaction with
the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. It was gratifying to
work with them in their mutual effort, first to fully understand their
differences and then to jointly explore ways those differences could
be bridged and resolved. The representatives from the PRO and PSRA
showed professionalism and perseverance by choosing to manage their
differences in a positive and productive way. As a result, the credit
for this positive outcome belongs to them. Having made difficult
choices together, ultimately, their perseverance was rewarded with
this new agreement.
"Finally, I want to express my gratitude for the assistance and
support provided by my colleague, Director of Mediation Services for
the Northeast Sub-Region, Jack Sweeney. Jack's experience and wisdom
were extremely beneficial at multiple critical points in the mediation
process."
Consistent with its longstanding policy, the FMCS will have no further
comment on the negotiations or the terms of the agreement.
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, created in 1947, is an
independent U.S. government agency whose mission is to preserve and
promote labor-management peace and cooperation. Headquartered in
Washington, DC, with 10 district offices and more than 60 field
offices, the agency provides mediation and conflict resolution
services to industry, government agencies and communities.
SOURCE Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
-0- 03/20/2014
/CONTACT: John Arnold, Director of Public Affairs, (202) 606-8100
/Web Site: http://www.fmcs.gov
CO: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
ST: District of Columbia
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0000 03/20/2014 14:23:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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