CWI, WIPA sign historic MOU to promote gender pay equity in West Indies cricket

In a ground-breaking development, Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) have signed a new four-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), reaffirming their commitment to advancing gender pay equity within West Indies cricket.

The MOU outlines plans to achieve parity in international and regional match fees, international captain’s allowances, international team prize money, and regional individual prize money for all West Indies cricketers by October 1, 2027.

This strategic initiative reflects CWI’s dedication to creating a more equitable playing field and fostering an environment where talent is valued regardless of gender. The MOU also aligns the performance grading criteria for international women's and regional men’s contracts with established standards for international men, ensuring a uniform evaluation process across domestic and international cricket from October 1, 2024.

A historic day for West Indies cricket

Dr. Kishore Shallow, President of Cricket West Indies, described this as a historic day for West Indies cricket, highlighting the commitment to gender equality and acknowledging the significant contributions of female players.

The MOU also introduces opportunities for compensation enhancement for both International and Regional Men, emphasizing CWI's commitment to acknowledging and rewarding excellence. It includes unprecedented levels of prize money for regional tournaments and new team and individual incentive bonuses for top performers. The top contract band values for men at international and regional levels have also been increased.

Johnny Grave, Chief Executive Officer of Cricket West Indies, emphasized their dedication to rewarding excellence and promoting fairness, with a focus on winning.

Excitement about achieving gender parity

Wavell Hinds, President and CEO of the WIPA, expressed excitement about achieving gender parity and equity across most levels of the pay scale, marking a historic and exciting time for their membership.

The MOU represents a significant step in narrowing the gender gap within West Indies cricket and reinforces the region's commitment to creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive cricketing landscape.