NHL turns down proposals from players’ association
Posted October 18, 2012 8:40 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO (NEWS1130) – The NHL took no time in rejecting all three proposals submitted today by the NHLPA.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said following the short meeting at the NHLPA‘s offices that none of the offers “even began to approach 50-50” and he characterized it as a step int he wrong direction.
“Things are not progressing, to the contrary, I view the proposal that was made by the players association a step backward.”
Bettman added that it was clear that the two sides were not speaking the same language.
The league commissioner says he’s disappointed by the union’s latest offer and the league has done everything it can to save a full 82-game season.
“The franchises all believe, and are supportive of the positions that have been taken, and in fact, as we discussed upstairs, a number of franchise thought we actually went to far.”
Union executive director Donald Fehr says the players would sacrifice nearly $1.8 billion dollars in revenue under the league’s proposal and that concessions made by the players in the last round of bargaining have cost them $3.3 billion over the term of the last agreement.
The players currently get 57 per cent of revenues.
He says he doesn’t understand why a deal hasn’t been reached. “What is the articulated reason that they want this, other than the basketball owners got a deal they like better than the current hockey deal, and that the football owners got a deal they like better than the current hockey deal.”
Fehr suggested that the union team was insulted by their treatment during the hour-long meeting, saying that “if you had been in the room, the vibe you would have gotten is unless you’re prepared to sign with very minor variations, don’t bother us.”
Both sides aren’t sure what is next. No talks have been scheduled.
