The current talks between the Australian Cricketers’ Association and Cricket Australia have failed to achieve a break through.
With only seven days until the June 30 deadline, the ACA calls for emergency mediation to be conducted at CEO level.
With this the ACA continues to search for ways to resolve the dispute. We are motivated by a sense of duty to the game and its players and frustration at the current process.
The ACA are instructed in this call by Australia’s male and female cricketers, who are determined to ensure every avenue is explored to avoid the post-June 30 cliff.
We are hopeful that the common sense offers of flexibility made in negotiations will be treated more respectfully in an elevated and mediated environment.
As things stand, from June 30 most of Australia’s elite male and female cricket players will be unemployed, jeopardising upcoming tours and ultimately the summer of cricket.
This creates uncertainty for broadcasters, sponsors, players and administrators.
And potentially stains the game, in the eyes of fans, and Australia’s reputation in the international community.
In recent weeks, the ACA has effectively been ‘negotiating with ourselves’ to try to break through. This is clearly unsatisfactory.
Of enduring concern to the ACA is the rejection of common sense and reasonable requests including:
The ACA will now:
The ACA, as instructed by players, has offered:
The players believe in the principle of sharing in the revenue they generate.
The players asked CA for financial and forecasting information in August 2016. This has not been provided by CA, even though it has been provided in the past MOU negotiations.
The players have offered two detailed submissions, spent seven months at the formal negotiating table and in May 2017 first called for mediation.
CA have rejected these positions from the players and offered their own detailed submission in March, which was rejected by the players in April 2017.
The ACA has established The Cricketers’ Brand (player IP business) and the Women and Men Cricketer Assistance Plan (WaMCAP), in preparing for a post-June 30 situation without an MOU.
The players are calling for a modernisation of the existing Revenue Sharing Model for all male and female State and national players, plus a significant increase in grassroots funding.
The Player Payment Pool not only funds player salaries, but also the ACA, the retirement scheme and many programs and wellbeing services that support the current and past player group.