Some Points still need consensus between League and Players' Association -NHL Lockout Update
It has been over eight weeks since the lockout officially came into force following the expiration of the previous collective bargaining agreement, but it is true that there are a number of key points that still need a mutual consensus from both stakeholders.
Sunday was the last day both the National Hockey League (NHL) and Players’ Association talked and there has not been any meeting ever since. Both sides remain in contact verbally, but are still yet to find common ground on a number of key issues before a
new labour deal can come into place.
According to the Post Gazette, the league and labour union have made gains on a number of issues, but the ones that remain are crucial to reach an agreement or else saving what remains of the 2012-2013 NHL regular season will not be as easy as it sounds.
"17 issues on players' contracts last week. We have a deal, or made progress, on 14 of them," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said.
"We gained a lot in free agency, arbitration rights," Pittsburgh Penguins Brooks Orpik said in September, according to the Post Gazette. "This time around, it kind of seems like it's just all concessions from our side, and we're not really getting anything
in return. Usually in most negotiations, it's give and take."
Players share in team revenue along with the process of arbitration are a number of points that both sides do not seem to be willing enough to compromise altogether. There is the belief that the league is looking to dominate the bigger financial aspects
of the game like salary issues and contract lengths, but now, players also want them to honour previous deals since they were signed prior to the lockout despite knowing one would occur.
The previous collective bargaining agreement came to an end between the league and players on September 15, 2012, which was signed after they lost the 2004-2005 regular season. Experts are seeing no end to the current lockout, which has lasted nearly three
months now and seen a number of deadlocks between both stakeholders.
It will be interesting to see how both sides work on getting a new labour deal in the upcoming days.
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