Women’s hockey players join AFL-CIO

PWHLPA affiliation expands the nation’s largest labor federation to 65 unions and AFL-CIO Sports Council to 10 players associations

The following is from the AFL-CIO:

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 6, 2026) — The Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association (PWHLPA) announced today it is formally affiliating with the AFL-CIO. The PWHLPA became the 10th professional sports union to join the AFL-CIO Sports Council and the 65th affiliate of the nation’s largest labor federation, a milestone in the fight for equity in women’s sports and fair treatment of all athlete workers.

The PWHLPA represents 184 professional hockey players across eight teams in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), 61 of whom just competed in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, including the gold and silver medal-winning U.S. and Canadian teams. The union’s affiliation with the AFL-CIO comes as interest in women’s hockey is reaching historic growth in the United States, with athletes driving record ticket sales.

“When women athletes come together as workers, they don’t only elevate their own leagues—they also raise the bar across all of women’s sports. The players of the PWHL have been no exception, and I am thrilled to welcome the Players Association into our federation,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “The AFL-CIO is proud to bring the solidarity of our 64 affiliated unions and nearly 15 million working people to stand alongside the PWHLPA and its members as they continue to grow the game, inspire the next generation of women’s ice hockey players, and fight for the contract they deserve.”

“Our members know there is power in a union,” said Malaika Underwood, executive director of the PWHLPA. “That is why they organized to form the Players Association and negotiated a collective bargaining agreement before the first puck dropped in the PWHL. It is also why we are proud to join the AFL-CIO and its Sports Council today. We look forward to continuing the fight for the rights, fair pay, and the safety of our members as part of this historic labor federation, and to standing alongside our fellow unions to ensure all workers, including PWHL players, are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”

The AFL-CIO Sports Council was formed in 2022 to build power across unions in professional sports, amplify the voices of athletes and shine a light on the challenges they face as workers. It also aligns the interests of athletes in professional sports industries and beyond. The Sports Council unions include: the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA), NFL Players Association (NFLPA), National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), National Lacrosse League Players’s Association (NLLPA), NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA), Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA), Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), and USL Players Association-CWA (USLPA-CWA).

Editor’s note: your next opportunity to watch the Seattle Torrent on home ice is March 11 as they face off against the Boston Fleet.