Players' Association looking in-depth into league's labour deal proposal -NHL Update
The three-day long scheduled meeting of the National Hockey League (NHL) and Players’ Association continued for a second day on Thursday, July 19, 2012, as the labour association planned on taking an in-depth look at the league’s proposal.
What was firstly termed to be an ice breaking deal, actually turned out to be a very serious plan laid out by the NHL. In return, the Players’ Association acted with patience and restraint by considering it and continue to do so before expected to put forth
one of their own.
The proposal is said to have included a cut in the players share of the revenue from 57 percent to 46 along with a number of under changes like extending entry-level deals from three to five years and not being able to test the free agency till the end of
it.
"We met for two hours, give or take, and spent most of the day discussing the owners' proposal mostly as it related to how their proposals could change player contracts and would have meaningful effects," NHLPA executive director, Donald Fehr, said. "And
it's fair to say that discussion focused in no small part on what would happen to players if the scenario of their proposal was adopted."
Shea Weber’s contract also came under discussion during the talks between both stakeholders, which was definitely something the players side looked forward to talking out.
"I will tell you this: That was a subject that did come up briefly today, not at length," Fehr added. "I've always viewed that as long as there's no collusion or anything involved, that, taking into account the system, the contract speaks for itself, in
terms of what people should be doing.”
Obviously there are still a number of differences that both sides need to settle before the current collective bargaining agreement comes to an end on September 15, later on this year. Fortunately, the season can continue with the 2012-2013 regular season
even if a new deal is not reached by then, but according to some insiders, a lockout can never be ruled out.
Updates should be expected in the upcoming days.
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