Cricket Australia pay dispute

rhugh89

Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Australia's cricketers unemployed as pay deal talks with Cricket Australia break down on final day


Updated earlier today at 12:35am


With the exception of 70 domestic male cricketers, Australia's domestic players — both men and women — are off contract as of 12:01am July 1, though participants at the ongoing Women's World Cup in the United Kingdom will be paid for the duration of the tournament.

It was hoped CA chief executive James Sutherland's return from England could break the impasse between the two bodies, with high-performance manager Pat Howard and negotiator Kevin Roberts having led CA's talks with the players' association.

The sport's governing body said the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) had refused to "show genuine flexibility in the best interests of the players and the game" during the lengthy negotiations.

"CA has been disappointed by the ACA's unwillingness to consider the sensible and necessary change CA has proposed to the fixed share of revenue player payments model.

"The model was adopted 20 years ago to address the underpayment of players. The game has changed fundamentally since then: players are now justifiably well rewarded and the modern challenge is the chronic under-funding of the grassroots of the game, particularly junior cricket.

"CA believes this challenge can be met while still rewarding players very well for their undoubted contribution.

"CA and the State and Territory Associations are responsible for the health of the whole game, not just the elite level where more than 70 per cent of all CA funding is currently directed."

One of the biggest stars of Australia's national side, Josh Hazlewood, appeared in a video on the ACA website on deadline day.

Of the 70 domestic male players still on multi-year contracts, they will have to choose to strike to retain solidarity with their locked-out colleagues.

If currently uncontracted players want to train, they will not be prevented from accessing the Australian cricket training facilities and staff.

The ACA said the players were expected to turn up, unpaid, on Monday as an act of "incredibly good faith".

The players' association now has an executive meeting in Sydney on Sunday, where it will discuss player availability for the Australia A tour of South Africa.

Australia's cricketers also face up to the prospect of being unable to play in ICC-sanctioned, money-making events like the Indian Premier League, lest they face an Ashes series ban.

The potential for exhibition matches has been discussed among players, with the option of taking part in global Twenty20 events also on the cards.

But Howard sent an email on Thursday to the ACA which said bans would be enforced for those taking part in "disapproved cricket", adding that players could not take part in ICC approved events, like the Indian Premier League, without CA approval.

"Players (including uncontracted players) cannot play in ICC approved cricket (e.g. domestic T20 competitions operated by overseas cricket boards) without approval from Cricket Australia," Howard wrote in the email.

"Players who participate in disapproved cricket (e.g. exhibition matches) are not permitted to participate in ICC approved cricket for a minimum of six months thereafter."

With the Ashes due to start in November, any ban would rule that player out of the series.

Players were also told any delay in reaching an memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreement from July 14 would mean they would not get back pay for the elapsed period.

"If your contract expires on June 30, you will not be an employee of CA, a State Association or a WBBL team from July 1," Howard wrote.

"This means that you are not required to play, train, perform player appearances or media commitments, and you will not be paid a retainer until such time as a MOU is agreed and a player contract is agreed with you in writing.

"If a MOU is agreed on or by July 14, your playing contract would only commence from the date the MOU is agreed.

"CA does not intend that retainers would be back paid to cover any elapsed period between your current contract expiring and the execution of a new contract when a new MOU is agreed."

The ACA has set up a hardship fund to support players in financial need — all except international men — covering all female players and male state-based players.


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-30/australian-cricket-pay-deal-mou-expires/8666232
 
It's great to hear that the Poms won't tour unless a new MOU is signed.

Cricket Australia is playing a dangerous game, I hope they end up caving in.

It is great to see all the cricketers banding together to resist CA.


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I can't get my head around this pay dispute because it seems they are fighting over details, but the one thing I know is that the top cricketers are getting 10 or 15 times as much as similar profile AFL and NRL players.
 
Well they do play all year Billy and it must be tough first class accommodation and meals, air fares and premium payments for Tests, T20 and ODI on top of their millions in wages.
 
Cricket Australia tried to buy the top players by offering them mega bucks, but they refused to be bought. The top players are standing united with the state cricketers so the state cricketers will get paid more.

I would love Cricket Australia to end having to pay the cricketers a set percentage of their income.


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CA has sent out an email trying to sell tickets for the Perth test.

If CA does not compromise soon there will be no ashes this year which would be a very bad for the game.


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I don't know much about all this stuff but is there a chance the same thing could happen with League considering they haven't been able to come to an agreement?
 
The negotiations are dragging on and on and agreement still has not been reached on renumeration. Hopefully agreement will be reached during the next few days.

Arbitration would take weeks or months.


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The negotiations are dragging on and on and agreement still has not been reached on renumeration. Hopefully agreement will be reached during the next few days.

Arbitration would take weeks or months.


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Renumeration wasn't the main thing holding negaotiations back, It was the funding model
 
Great news, we can now look for forward to smashing the Poms at home this summer.


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Great news, we can now look for forward to smashing the Poms at home this summer.


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That was everyone's fear I think, That we wouldn't see the Ashes

The tour of Bangladesh will be going ahead as well which is also great news
 
It's clear the players have won, not only in terms of remuneration but also on consultation on scheduling.

However, CA will have more money to spend on grass roots cricket which is a good thing.

Gender equality in remuneration puts cricket ahead of all other sports, which is great for the game.


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