Seattle Sounders players’ rep says strike a possibility

TUKWILA, Wash. – Seattle Sounders players’ union representative Brad Evans said Monday he is pessimistic about the current state of negotiations between Major League Soccer and its players on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Evans acknowledged that the talks over the new CBA would likely come down to the last minute and push up against the start of the MLS regular season on March 6. He said if movement isn’t made, especially on the possibility of players getting some form of free agency, a strike would be the likely outcome.

“I think at this point a strike is imminent if we don’t get what we want. And that’s kind of where we stand,” Evans said. “If that’s what it takes, that’s what it takes. But we all have to be smart about it and we’ve all got to look at the repercussions, but we’ve got to know that a lot of players have built this league and feel they should be rewarded with some sort of movement where they play.”

The labor contract with the players expired Jan. 31. The sides needed assistance from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in 2010, when they reached an agreement five days before the season opener.