Head of NBA coaches association urges a restart of labour negotiations
The NBA coaches have finally made their voices heard in the ongoing labour dispute between players and NBA owners.
Head of the NBA Coaches Association, a body of head and assistant coaches, both past and present, who have served in the basketball league issued an open letter on Sunday, November 20, urging the two warring parties to return to
the negotiation table.
The coaches have been notable because of their absence from the labour dispute scene. When the NBA locked out its players on July 1st following the expiry of the old Collective Bargaining Agreement it also enforced strict
restrictions on coaches and other officials related to NBA franchises.
NBA coaches were not to have any contact with players during the lockout. They could also not talk about the NBA lockout or about any specific player. Coaches have abided by the rules throughout the lockout, but now it seems they
have decided to make their voices heard.
And their voice is a reasonable one, calling on both NBA owners and players to restart discussions over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that have been suspended indefinitely.
"I'm urging this call for an immediate return to discussions by the parties," Michael Goldberg, executive director of the association wrote in an open letter released to the media Sunday. Goldberg opined that no dispute worth the
financial hit both sides would take if an entire NBA season is lost, which looks likely given the current state of affairs.
"The upcoming NBA season must be saved. To do otherwise will cause a self-inflicted economic blow to an enterprise that over the years through the hard work of players, team owners and the League Office has become a great global
brand, but, like every business operating in today's fragile economic landscape, one that is more susceptible to 'decline and fall.' "
"There is no time to waste," Goldberg wrote. "History has proven that all sports labour conflicts are ultimately solved.”
He also asked both sides to overlook their personal interests in favour of the collective gain, which was an end to the NBA lockout. Goldberg took was careful not to take sides in his letter and merely asked for a fresh start of
labour talks.
Talks have been suspended, perhaps permanently, since NBA Commissioner made took the ill advised decision of issuing an ultimatum to the players. Stern told the players to accept a certain offer or else he would present one much
worse and ruled out any further talks.
The National Basketball Players Association responded by rejecting the offer and suing NBA owners in federal court in antitrust cases.
There has not been any progress since.
Tags: