FICA Deeply Concerned With Cricket Australia’s Approach Of Dealing With The Pay Dispute

Jan 13, 2019 at 4:22 PM

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FICA Deeply Concerned With Cricket Australia’s Approach Of Dealing With The Pay Dispute

The Story:

Cricket Australia (CA) and Australian Cricketer’s Association (ACA), the party representing the cricketers, have been in the loggerheads since the last six month over the pay dispute.

The controversy, which seemed could end after a couple of rounds of talks between both the parties few moths ago, has now been stretched past the July 1 deadline, the date from which the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would end up being ineffective.

As an aftermath of this existing problem and expiry of the contract, as many as 230 players are now officially unemployed. The players are firmly behind the ACA in support of the opposition for the proposed revamps in the revenue model which is been in effect since 1997. CA, on the hand, has also been adamant in its approach and hasn’t taken a step back regarding this issue. Therefore, as of now, the negotiation is currently in a stalemate situation with neither party being able to make any positive development in solving this difference.

Upcoming Tours In Jeopardy

The upcoming tours in the Australian cricketing calendar are in the danger of facing a boycott should the Australian cricketers make their threat real. The Aussies are set to tour Bangladesh and India in coming months and will later play arch rivals England this summer in the much anticipated Ashes series.

However, as a result of the dispute, these international tours don’t seem like a possibility as of now. The cricketers have also threatened to boycott Australia A’s upcoming tour of South Africa unless the pay stand-off between the two parties is resolved.

FICA Backs The Players

FICA (Photo Source: Twitter)

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA), on Monday (July 3), has come in support of the Australian Cricketers’ Association and the Australian players.

“FICA is concerned with CA’s desire to end the percentage revenue sharing model that has so successfully underpinned the partnership between the players and administrators in Australia for twenty years. The model has not only been hugely successful for Australian cricket but has been a model of best practice adopted by associations in cricket and other sports, worldwide,” the release said.

“FICA is also seriously concerned with CA’s approach to its dealings with the ACA throughout this ongoing process. FICA commends the ACA and the Australian players for their unity and resolve and for their consistent attempts to negotiate with CA in a professional and transparent manner, including their willingness to use independent mediation to reach a resolution,” the release added.

As a means to restrict players from taking part in overseas T20 tournaments, Australia’s team performance manager, Pat Howard, issued a letter which warned them from taking this step, as it could lead to a six-month ban, stating that such contracts would be “disapproved cricket” from CA’s point of view.

The FICA, however, observed that if the Australian board restricts players from looking out for other paid opportunities, it could lead to a “legal challenge”

“FICA notes the indications given by CA that it may attempt to restrict now un-contracted players from competing in other cricket events by refusing to grant them a No Objection Certificate (NOC) or threatening them with future playing bans.

“FICA reiterates its strong opposition to any artificial restrictions that unfairly attempt to prevent players from earning a living and that have not been agreed with players or their representatives. FICA believes that such restrictions would be open to legal challenge in most jurisdictions as a restraint of trade.”

Graeme Smith, FICA’s Independent Board member, noted that as the previous revenue-sharing model proved to be a successful partnership between the two parties, there wasn’t any need to tweak the Memorandum of Understanding.

“I was part of a revenue share partnership model for many years as a player and this was a critical factor in fostering the relationship between Board and players. In the current cricket environment where players have other options, I don’t understand why a board would want to change a partnership that has proved to be successful.”

Vikram Solanki, the President of the Association, also extended his support to ACA and the players.

“The players are the game. History has shown that where country boards work in genuine partnership with players and their representatives the game thrives and succeeds.

“Cricket is at a crucial moment in its history, with new and competing markets for players, fans and broadcasters. I believe that boards should be working more collaboratively with players in the current cricket landscape, not pushing them away,” he added.

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