CA pay dispute takes nasty turn

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Cricket Australia’s ongoing pay talks with the players have taken a nasty twist after an email from Chief Executive James Sutherland was leaked to the press.

The pay talks have stalled after the Australian Cricketers Association refused to give up the players rights to revenue sharing.

These talks have been arguably the most fractious ever with Cricket Australia being investigated by the labour ombudsman for possible discriminatory practices relating to female player’s contracts.

Sutherland has not been directly involved in the negotiations but has weighed in saying that if they fail to agree a deal by June 30 players will not be paid.

The Sydney Morning Herald quote Sutherland’s email: “CA is not contemplating alternative contracting arrangements to pay players beyond 30 June if their contracts have expired.”

Sutherland went on to write: “In the absence of the ACA negotiating a new MOU, players with contracts expiring in 2016-17 will not have contracts for 2017-18.

“The ACA is fast running out of time to engage with CA’s proposal and optimise the outcome for players”.

“In the coming weeks, CA and states will be making contract offers to players.

“The terms of these contracts will be consistent with CA’s proposal, and contracts will be conditional on a new MOU being in place.”

Sutherland accused the ACA of pressuring players into holding out on accepting the revised terms of the MOU.

He wrote: “I understand that some have been made to feel that accepting the relatively minor but necessary changes to the existing pay model, while being paid more, would somehow be ‘letting the side down’.

“This is nonsense.”

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