Past players call for pay talks to move forward

Australian Test stars on the front line of the 1997 dispute that delivered a landmark pay deal for those who followed have counselled current players against making the existing revenue-sharing model a non-negotiable in the ongoing stand-off with Cricket Australia.

Both sides in the stalemate over the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding, due to take effect from July 1, acknowledge it is disparate views on the manner in which CA's revenue is shared with players that has prevented talks from progressing.

Australian Cricketers Association President and former Test wicketkeeper Greg Dyer confirmed Tuesday that the impasse is "one of principle rather than pay" with the players "galvanised" in their view that the current model – whereby a set percentage of revenue is shared with all contracted cricketers – remains unchanged.

Cricket Australia wants to modify the model, to share up to $20 million of surplus income with men's and women's international representatives but also cap payments made to domestic players to enable increased investment in grassroots strategies and programs.

Former Test vice-captain Adam Gilchrist, who was in the fledgling days of his famous career when the initial MOU was forged against the threat of a players' strike 20 years ago, said he understood the strong unity among the current playing group but also CA's aim "to use some of that greater cricket revenue to feed back into grassroots cricket".

"From what I've been led to believe, the ACA are saying straight out, 'We are not going to negotiate on anything until (CA) say we are definitely having the same revenue-sharing model that's happened for 20 years'," Gilchrist told Channel Ten's 'The Project' last night.

"I suspect that might be a little bit blinkered that view, so hopefully they are able to sit down and start to have some meaningful negotiations."

That followed ex-Test 'keeper and former ACA President Ian Healy's comments reported earlier in the day that talk of players striking in support of the revenue sharing model "should be avoided at all costs".

Image Id: BFFE7BF2F77A4340BC844F670816DB2C Image Caption: Gilchrist trains at Lord's on the 1997 Ashes tour // Getty

"I think a potential strike over a model of payment is just not on,'' Healy told News Corp yesterday.

"The game is wealthy. Everyone is doing well.

"I would not even be threatening to have a strike. We are not talking about massive issues here.

"Strike action should be avoided at all costs, and I think the players will feel that as well."

It is worth noting that international representatives would be out of contract if a new deal was not inked by June 30, which means they would not technically 'strike'.

And while former Test bowler Damien Fleming expressed his strong support for retaining the revenue-sharing model, he added there were elements – such as the payment split between international and domestic players – that "needs tweaking".

"I still don't understand why we can't keep a (revenue sharing) percentage model," Fleming told Melbourne radio station RSN927 today.

"Within that, there's still got to be enough money for grassroots, and more money for women's cricket and infrastructure and enough money for Cricket Australia to run the game.

"But for 20 years it seems to have worked.

"So, yes, there's got to be tweaking. State cricketers are under the pump a bit, and I agree to a degree.

"I don't want (Sheffield) Shield cricketers on half a million dollars, I think that's too much."

Image Id: 2D391AB81EA04DFCAEE4B42A6CA8CB94 Image Caption: Victoria celebrate their 2016-17 Sheffield Shield win // Getty

CA's proposal would see domestic men's and women's players receive capped pay increases of 18 per cent and 150 per cent respectively over the five years of the new MOU, which would in turn mean average annual payment to a male domestic cricketer reach $235,000 by 2021-22.

Under the current revenue-sharing model, payments to men's domestic players over the past five years have increased by 53 per cent, and the same level of growth throughout the new MOU period would see that average annual payment increase to more than $304,000 per annum.

That average figure is based on the CA modelling contained in their MOU proposal, comprising the average retainers for state men's players (to grow to $93,000 per year by 2021-22), plus average BBL retainer (rising up to $104,000 per year by 2021-22) plus 60 per cent of maximum match fees that grow up to $62,000 per player per annum over the life of the new MOU.

It does not include earnings players might make from overseas ventures such as UK county cricket, the Caribbean Premier League or the Indian Premier League where – in 2015 – the average earnings for each of the 14 Australia domestic players with IPL contracts was $208,000, according to CA's proposal.

Quick Single: Australians in the IPL: Batters and Bowlers

In an interview with Sydney radio station 2GB last night, Dyer acknowledged that maintaining the current revenue-sharing model carried with it the risk of players receiving less than they currently earn, amid recent reports that CA's next broadcast rights deal might not deliver the same growth in revenue as its predecessors.

"The partnership model implies that – if revenue drops, then so does remuneration to the players," Dyer said.

"We don't believe that will be the case, we believe over a five-year MOU period that there will be strong growth in revenue and that the opposite will be the case.

"But the partnership model implies exactly that, if there are drops in revenue to the game then the players will receive less than they currently do.

"As a businessman, and I have a commercial background, if I've got variable revenues in that way then I very much like to have my costs vary along with that revenue.

Image Id: 3B2AC05250BC452A98C96638EF2B795D Image Caption: Greg Dyer during the 1987 World Cup semi-final in Lahore // Getty

"That seems to me to be a very sensible business model.

"So we're a little bit perplexed as to why Cricket Australia, at this moment in time, wants to break that model."

The ACA's request for an independent mediator to be appointed to the MOU negotiations was formally rejected by CA Chairman David Peever today.

Peever wrote to his ACA counterpart Dyer and reiterated CA's earlier position that it would be "extraordinary" for a mediator to be engaged before any meaningful negotiation had taken place.

Quick Single: 'Revenue-sharing' remains sticking point

"Surely a more constructive and conventional approach would have been to work through CA's MOU proposal to agree all possible items, leaving issues where the parties may be further apart to be resolved towards the end," Peever wrote.

"Such an approach generally leads to a greater understanding between parties and reduces potential conflict.

"While I do not agree that mediation is appropriate in the current situation, out of respect for the players the present impasse needs to be broken and a mechanism found that allows good faith talks to finally start and move forward as quickly as possible.

"In that spirit I suggest we instruct our respective negotiating teams to recommit to the negotiation calendar, beginning at the earliest opportunity with a full day of structured talks, without preconditions.

The ACA issued a media release this evening and claimed CA's rejection of the proposal for mediation "cast further doubt on their intention to want an MOU resolution before June 30".

"How does CA expect to get a deal done by June 30?" Dyer says in the ACA release.

"To make inaccurate statements about negotiations not having begun is poor form and clearly not consistent with good faith discussions.

"To be clear, I personally met with CA back on November 11 to commence negotiations, at which time we were commended for the position that had been presented on behalf of the players.

"Since then, the ACA management have had over 20 hours of face-to-face meetings with CA.

"The ACA clearly want to resolve a new MOU before June 30, and given the differences in both parties, mediation seems the right step."