The ECHL postponed 13 games Friday after players went on strike, causing a shutdown in the North American Development Minor Hockey League, two levels below the NHL.
The Professional Hockey Players Association announced it had “begun employment efforts” and cited travel for back-to-back games, vacations, guaranteed contracts, off-season health benefits and player compensation as unresolved issues in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.
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“Our members are simply seeking reasonable improvements that will allow them to work safely and earn a sustainable living while continuing to perform at a high level,” said Executive Director Brian Ramsay. “Despite the union’s repeated attempts to meet and engage in negotiations, the league continues to communicate directly with players, bypassing the union’s role as the exclusive bargaining representative.”
PHPA Members voted last week to allow the negotiating committee called for a strike. The league and union have been engaged in collective bargaining since January.
“Unfortunately, union leaders have denied players the opportunity to vote on our latest, greatest and final proposal,” the ECHL said in a statement, adding that it would increase player salaries by 20% in the first year, increase per diems, guarantee more days off and expand equipment provided to players. “We have done everything possible to avoid this outcome and hope that union leadership will give up their impossible scheduling demands, allow the players to vote on our proposal and give the players the opportunity to return to work.”
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The league said its latest proposal raises the salary cap by 19.8%, up from the 16.4% in the proposal posted on its website Monday.
“The ECHL has made it clear to union leadership that this is the best offer and that any future proposals will likely have to take into account the loss of revenue associated with missed games due to the players' strike,” the league said in a statement. “Although we have not received an official response, we have heard from some players that they will not be reporting for their scheduled games.”
The ECHL has 30 teams, 29 of which are located in the United States and one in Canada in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.
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