--- title: Union soccer referees earn a well-deserved contract after lockout description: The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Peter Manikowski from the PSRA joined us on today’s show. image: https://awf.labortools.com/hubfs/PSRA%20Blue.png --- 1 min read Season 5, Episode 69 # Union soccer referees earn a well-deserved contract after lockout [ awfblog ](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/author/awfblog) April 4, 2024 [America's Work Force Union Podcast](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/americas-work-force-union-podcast) [AWF](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/awf) [PSRA](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/psra) ![PSRA gray](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PSRA%20gray.png?width=400&height=400&name=PSRA%20gray.png)   Guest Name: --- Peter Manikowski Guest Website: --- [psraofficials.com](https://psraofficials.com/)  Guest Social Media: --- [ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/PSRAofficials) [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/PSRAofficials) [ YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@PSRAofficials) [ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) Supportive Documents: --- President of the [Professional Soccer Referees Association](https://psraofficials.com/), Peter Manikowski, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the new contract for members after the month-long lockout from the [Professional Referee Organization](https://proreferees.com/). Manikowski discussed the public support from fans, coaches and the [Major League Soccer](https://www.mlssoccer.com/) [Players Association](https://mlsplayers.org/).  After his appearance on the podcast in March to discuss the lockout of referees for MLS games, Manikowski said there had been a wave of public support for the PSRA following poor performance by scab referees. He discussed how the fans encouraged the referees during the lockout and supported their strike fund. Manikowski said several coaches and the MLS Players Association also shared their support, reinforcing the importance of the union referees. Manikowski talked about the difference between this lockout and a previous strike that occurred a decade ago. He said the negotiations were at different points, with the current lockout not being close to resolution and the last strike coming at the end of talks. Manikowski talked about the aggressive tactics used by PRO, and how the public support created a strong sense of solidarity for members. The support helped members stand up to the aggressive negotiation tactics by PRO and earn themselves a beneficial new contract. The new contract came with the security of a seven-year term. While it wasn’t the desired length for the negotiating committee, they could earn the pay and benefit increases required to adapt to potential inflation. Manikowski credited his union member's democratic procedure for approval in coming up with the best solution. He said while all members weren’t happy with the length of the contract, the nearly 29 percent wage increase this year and the subsequent yearly wage increases provided a common ground for all members to agree to a successful deal. To hear more about the new contract for the PSRA, listen to the show above. --- America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues. America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ##### SUBSCRIBE ON: --- [![Group 342](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png?width=171&name=Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/id1511224946) [![Group 341](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Spotify%20Button-Dark.png?width=100&name=Spotify%20Button-Dark.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/0GzkHxFSBxiXvuX0lZpQBn) [![Group 343](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20343.png?width=135&name=Group%20343.png)](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast-62567752/) [![Group 339](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20339.png?width=110&name=Group%20339.png)](https://www.pandora.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/PC:47979) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20397.png?width=125&name=Group%20397.png)](https://americasworkforceradiopodcast.podbean.com/) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YouTube_button.png?width=125&name=YouTube_button.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQo1PAtRAel1_tS7-PQOkA)   #### [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/brotherhood-of-railroad-signalmen-on-the-union-pacific-merger-threat) : July 6, 2026 # Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat Brandon Elvey, Secretary-Treasurer of the [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen](https://www.brs.org/),... 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