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Players will picket arenas if NLL tries to use non-union men in games

TORONTO (CP) - The National Lacrosse League doesn't need a strike by players as it tries to recover from the loss of three clubs and as it attempts to spread the sport to California and Arizona.

But that is exactly what it's got. The Professional Lacrosse Players' Association membership went on strike Saturday. If no collective bargaining agreement is in place by the Dec. 26 start of the season, the league will use non-PLPA members and PLPA members who cross picket lines in its games.

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Association vice-president Dave Succamore declined to guess about the possibilities of the season beginning while his membership is on strike but he was clear on one point.

"It would be very difficult for them to do that," he said in Toronto. "We'd be picketing."

Succamore says the association had "unwavering support from our membership" to go on strike, and adds job action was taken only because the NLL intended to unilaterally impose on Tuesday what it termed a final offer.

"We all want to have a CBA in place," Succamore said. "We're just not going to sell our players down the river."

Read More...

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NLL offering contracts despite strike
Canadian Press
Tuesday, December 16, 2003

TORONTO (CP) -- National Lacrosse League teams have begun offering players contracts despite the strike by the Professional Lacrosse Players' Association.

The season -- 10 teams each playing 16 games, plus playoffs -- is scheduled to begin Dec. 26.

"We have to put a product on the floor," commissioner Jim Jennings said Monday from the league's head office in New York. "We have identified a number of players who want to play -- union and non-union."

The PLPA declared its membership to be on strike Dec. 6 and exhibition games and practices have been cancelled.

The two sides met for nine hours during the weekend in New York without agreeing on a new collective bargaining agreement. The NLL issued a news release Sunday night announcing the opening of the player signing period for the 2003-2004 season.

"The league has elected to play under the recently expired collective bargaining agreement rather than impose its last offer," the release stated. "We are ready to turn our attention to what promises to be a great season."

The stumbling blocks to a new CBA are salary cap and term.

"We were at $290,000 (US) for a salary cap per team and moved over nine hours to a $500,000 salary cap," said Jennings. "If you took our average salary last year, that's a 94 per cent increase."

The league also reduced its previous seven-year term proposal to five years, said Jennings.

"The union came in at $600,000 (for a salary cap) at a one-year term," said Jennings. "They didn't move on their term. They showed they have no interest in negotiating in good faith."

The PLPA has said its members will picket arenas if teams attempt to stage games without a new CBA. It did not respond to interview requests Monday.

"We've been told that there are a good number of players who want to sign under last year's CBA," said Jennings.

Jim Veltman, captain of the Toronto Rock who have won the Champions Cup four of the last five years, declined to comment on specifics but was clear when asked to state his view of the association's position. "I'm in full agreement," said Veltman.

To begin signing players, each NLL team must submit to the head office by 2 p.m. PST Thursday the names of up to two men designated as franchise players. With a bump of 10 per cent from the maximum salary in the old CBA, pay will be $20,625 US for franchise players for the season, which runs into May.

© Copyright 2003 Times Colonist (Victoria)

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[ 18 December 2003: Message edited by: Mick ]

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National Lacrosse League reaches agreement with players' association

Canadian Press

Thursday, December 18, 2003

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NEW YORK (CP) - The National Lacrosse League has settled its labour dispute.

The league announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement with the Professional Lacrosse Players' Association to proceed with the 2003-2004 season under terms of the previous collective bargaining agreement "with minor modifications."

The deal means an end to the 12-day players' strike. The owners had threatened to call of the season unless a settlement was reached by noon Thursday.

"We've reached an agreement that will allow the season to be played with the best lacrosse players in the world, and without any interruption for the upcoming season," commissioner Jim Jennings said in a statement. "We can now turn our attention to what should be a great season.

"The agreement to play this season under the prior collective bargaining agreement addresses the short term," he added. "We remain committed to reaching a long-term labour agreement to ensure labour peace for several years to come."

There was no elaboration on the modifications to the CBA.

All team training camps and pre-season activities will resume immediately, including the scheduled exhibition game Friday between the Anaheim Storm and the Colorado Mammoth.

The season opens Dec. 26 at the new Glendale Arena outside Phoenix as the Arizona Sting play the Vancouver Ravens.

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