Judge Says Women's Soccer Team Can't Strike

A set back for the women on the national soccer team.

A federal judge in Chicago ruled Friday that the members of the United States Women's National Team cannot strike in an effort to seek better working conditions.

The federation released a statement saying they "are pleased with the court's decision and remain committed to negotiating a new CBA to take effect at the beginning of next year."

The women of the team were sued in February by the U.S. Soccer Federation, the sport's governing body in the United States.

The player's union, the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team Players Association, had wanted the option to strike.

The federation went to court asking the judge to rule that the players were bound by a collective bargaining agreement from doing that.

The players had argued that the CBA expired in 2012 and that the memorandum of understanding ,which they had been abiding by, didn't discuss striking so they had the right to do.

Judge Sharon Coleman, in a 13-page opinion, disagreed.

The federation argued that a strike could keep the team out of the Olympics, which would cause great damage to the development of soccer in the United States.

The players have been fighting the federation over everything from playing conditions to pay, which they say highly favors their male counterparts even though the women won the World Cup, which the men did not.

In March, they filed a complaint with the EEOC, which has still not been decided.