During a contract negotiation standoff with the WNBA, union representative Sophie Cunningham urged reporters to tell Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to 'pay us'. The public protest, accompanied by players wearing 'Pay Us What You Owe Us' T-shirts at the All-Star game, underscores the union’s commitment to fair compensation and robust worker rights.

Claudia Goldin, a Nobel Prize-winning Harvard economist, is advising the Women’s National Basketball Players Association during their collective bargaining negotiations. Her role, along with the union's public demonstration of its demands (e.g. players wearing 'Pay Us What You Owe Us' T-shirts), underscores the push for equity and fair labor practices amid significant salary disparities between the WNBA and NBA.

On July 18, 2025, the WNBPA issued a statement criticizing the league's current collective bargaining agreement proposal as unsustainable. The union emphasized the need for a transformational CBA that provides fair wages, better working conditions, and enhanced benefits, reinforcing their commitment to return to the negotiating table amidst a rapidly growing business environment.

The WNBPA announced its decision to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement with the WNBA on October 22, 2024. This move, coming shortly after the New York Liberty's championship win, signals a strong demand for higher salaries and improved working conditions as part of a broader effort to secure better treatment and rights for its members.

The Women's National Basketball Players Association has opted out of the current WNBA collective bargaining agreement, triggering a negotiation aimed at securing fair wages, improved working conditions, and enhanced benefits for players.

On February 9, 2023, the WNBPA, representing professional female basketball players, affiliated with the AFL-CIO. This historic move is aimed at enhancing collective bargaining, advancing workplace equality, and promoting gender and racial justice, reinforcing the labor movement's progressive agenda.

The Women’s National Basketball Players Association, representing professional female athletes in the WNBA, has recently affiliated with the AFL-CIO. This move solidifies its commitment to enhancing worker representation, fair labor practices, and equality for women in professional sports.

The WNBA and WNBPA announced the launch of 'The Justice Movement' platform along with the creation of the WNBA/WNBPA Social Justice Council. This new initiative aims to address critical social issues such as systemic racism, voting rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and gun control, demonstrating a strong commitment to progressive social justice and equality.

In 2020, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, led by president Nneka Ogwumike, publicly rejected anti-Black Lives Matter rhetoric from former Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler, reinforcing its commitment to social justice, labor rights, and equitable treatment for female athletes.

The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) has partnered with Rock the Vote to mobilize young voters and promote civic engagement ahead of the WNBA All-Star Weekend. The union has committed both financial resources and athlete time to educate and register young, first-time voters and communities of color, aiming to strengthen democratic participation.