Put yourself in their place: Employer offers a union 0% wage increase, and threatens to invest their pension fund in a WNBA basketball team

Photo above - Tina Charles, 6 foot 5, 200 pounds, center for the Connecticut Sun. Second highest scorer in WNBA history. In case you get bored with Caitlin Clark throwing up endless 3 pointers from safety of the outer rim of the solar system.

Unions exist protect workers from abusive employers. And this one is a doozy: the state of Connecticut is offering a zero-wage increase. The union had asked for 2.5%, which might or might not cover inflation.

But wait, it gets worse. How would you like your pension funds transferred from normal investments to buy a share in Connecticut’s WNBA basketball team as part of the deal? See link below.

Ignore the fact that WNBA Sun basketball team finished 2025 at 11-33. They did have winning seasons in 2024 and 2023. But if you haven’t seen them on TV, don’t blame yourself. Networks are fixated on photogenic white girls, lik newcomers like Paige Buekers (WNBA Wings) and Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever). The Connecticut Sun probably has some decent players, but should a union pension fund be forced to invest in a money losing WNBA basketball franchise? The team’s survival is in doubt recently.

I won’t go into all the hilarious details of why the State of Connecticut wants to put their workers at risk of financial ruin. Suffice it to say there are rumors about the Mohegan Sun Indian tribe (current team owners), the team's purported conjoined-twins link to the Mohegan Sun casino, and the fate of nearby bars and restaurants which might be making campaign contributions to local politicians. Nothing unusual here. Except that state workers are being asked to put their retirement on the line to shore up a casino and off-brand sports franchise.

Workers DO deserve protection from incompetent or abusive employers. Connecticut’s state employees have been working without a contract now for 4 months. During this time, the absurdity of no cost-of-living increases and bet the farm investments in WNBA teams has spiraled out of control.

Will Connecticut’s governor next try to sweeten the deal with WNBA tix and Mohegan Sun comp’d casino chips as a negotiating tactic?

I’m just sayin’ . . .

CT union frustrations mount over contract talks, proposed Sun purchase

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Telcontar

Average annual CT employee earnings in 2023 were 83,000 . They have a defined benefit pension and generous benefits.
My question is what is the Union asking for?
CT is an expensive place to live but should the state really be paying the highest wages of all employers?
Raise the wages but cut the payroll down to something reasonable.
There are over 46,000 state employees represented by 15 unions included in the bargaining committee.
Too much bureaucracy and too few actual workers.

But I certainly agree that investing pension funds in a money losing sports team is idiotic.
The unions won’t argue too loudly against it because they’re pensions are guaranteed under the state constitution to be paid ahead of any other obligation of the state

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@Telcontar the union asked for a 2.5% cost of living increase. they didn't ask for ANY changes to their pension fund management or investments.

Telcontar

@SusanInFlorida
Because they don’t care what the state does with the money, it’s guaranteed by the state constitution that they get paid ahead of every other creditor, even in bankruptcy

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@Telcontar clearly they do care. they are refusing the government contract offer, and have been since July 1st.

PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M

The zero wage increase is sucky but honestly this is a safer investment than the stock market or even USD under Trump.

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PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M

@SusanInFlorida Absolutely. I will freely admit I am not an expert on the topic but Mark Cuban didn't buy into a basketball team based on some childhood fantasy. Ditto with all owners. Each team also makes millions. And I don't see why you have an issue with Natives having companies.

And are you serious? Casinos are probably the only business on earth where it is legal to rig the service against your customer base.

To make one fail you have to almost try to run it into the ground. See Trump for an example.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@PicturesOfABetterTomorrow mark cuban bought the Dallas Mavericks (mens NBA) for $280 million in 2000. He sold much of his stake for $3.5 billion in 2023, but still retains around 20%.

that's a 1,000 percent gain.

The Mohegan tribe purchased the Orlando "Miracles" WNBA team for $10 million in 2003 , renamed and relocated it. I have no idea what's worth today. Evidently potential investors are skittish too, which explains why Connecticut's governor is keen to bail them out using OPM (other people's money - the state employees' pension fund).

PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M

@SusanInFlorida And Mark Cuban proves my point that pro sports teams being pretty solid.

As for the last bit that sounds like alot of racism and nothing more. And you yourself have no idea what it is currently valued at.

Your argument also seems to buy into the sexist trope that women's sports cannot be successful.

FreeSpirit1 · 51-55, F

The WNBA will never make a profit , if women still prefer to watch the NBA then it’s hopeless

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@FreeSpirit1 never say never. they said the same thing about MLS (major leagues soccer).

but it seems realistic, although penurious, to pay WNBA players in the aggregate only 2% of the mens NBA payroll. I guess this is reflection on current ticket sales and broadcast deals.

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