Counterproposal being readied by Players Association -NHL Rumors
Despite there being another deadlock in talks between the National Hockey League (NHL) and Players’ Association (NHLPA), it is believed that the labour union is still readying a counterproposal for the second time and will deliver it when the ice breaks,
something experts believe to happen by the 10th of September.
September 15th is the final day that the current collective bargaining agreement stays in force, after which the NHL and NHLPA will get a new deal, decide mutually to head into a regular season with the previous one in play or go into lockout
mode.
Prior to the negotiations kicking off, everyone was at ease as a clause in the current CBA allows for the hockey year to continue if both sides mutually agree on continuing talks and not disrupting the season, but soon after, the league took a u-turn and
changed its stance on the whole subject entirely.
According to NHLPA executive director, Donald Fehr, there are a number of things going wrong with the proposals made by the league and core economic issues are some of the leading problems that the players cannot get over.
"The response that was made to us was that if the players are not prepared to make an automatic reset on their aggregate salary levels -- that is to say, as we understand it, a meaningful, absolute reduction in dollar terms for next year as compared to last
year -- that they see no point in discussing or responding to the proposals we put forward at the meeting today," Fehr said.
The union has also expressed that they are in no rush to get a deal done and will only do so once the league is ready to listen to their concerns in a serious matter.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on the other hand, showed himself as being victimized by wanting something else from the NHLPA and getting something else. The situation is confusing and Bettman, according to players, has a lot to do with it.
"What I thought was starting as a promising week after we made our substantial counterproposal on Tuesday," Bettman said, "ended, I guess, in disappointment."
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