StrikeWatch 2015: Negotiating All Night, Negotiating All Day

The Major League Soccer collective bargaining agreement negotiations continue this morning after an all-night negotiation session, reported to have lasted until 6:00 am.

According to the vigilant folks on the ground in D.C. the players and owners have both returned to the offices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services to resume talks despite a presumed strike deadline this morning, set by the Chicago Fire's scheduled travel to train in Los Angeles before taking on the LA Galaxy this Friday to start the season. In fact, the Fire players appear to have traveled as scheduled, certainly an indication of some positive movement in the negotiations.

The content of the negotiations, however, remains largely unknown.

Yesterday's report of a form of free agency for players age 32 or older with ten years of consecutive service to one team was amended to include players 28 or older with eight years of experience in the league last night.

Free agency, the issue that players have been talking about since the beginning of the negotiations, remains a sticking point, but there are other issues to be hammered out as well. The size of the salary cap and the length of the new CBA are both important sticking points according to reports on twitter.

Players want where the cap is currently offered to be in year 8 to be where it is in year 5 and don't want more than 5-6 year deal #MLSCBA

— Brooke Tunstall (@YesThatBrooke) March 4, 2015

For better or for worse, the new deadline for all of this getting worked out appears to be later today.

To be clear, the players have not yet voted to strike but are prepared to do so today if no progress is made on #MLSCBA talks.

— Brooke Tunstall (@YesThatBrooke) March 4, 2015

Edit: Jeffrey Carlisle is hearing things.

I'm told there has been some movement in union direction on 28/8 free agency offer & 10% cap on FA salary increases. More to come. #mlscba

— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) March 4, 2015