2012 CBA Negotiations Thread

[Fanatic]

Quebec Law to Prvent Habs from Being Locked Out?

The NHL Players? Association is hoping that Quebec?s labour laws will keep members of the Montreal Canadiens from being locked out by the league.

The team?s players have hired Montreal-based lawyer Michael Cohen, who sent a cease and desist letter to the Habs owners and the NHL on Friday.

They?re claiming it would be unlawful for the players to be locked out ? something the league plans to do if a new collective bargaining agreement isn?t reached by Sunday ? because the NHLPA isn?t certified by the Quebec Labour Board.


There wouldn't be any games to play, but I guess the players could all argue that as long as they show up they want their paycheck. 

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

Quebec Law to Prvent Habs from Being Locked Out?

The NHL Players? Association is hoping that Quebec?s labour laws will keep members of the Montreal Canadiens from being locked out by the league.

The team?s players have hired Montreal-based lawyer Michael Cohen, who sent a cease and desist letter to the Habs owners and the NHL on Friday.

They?re claiming it would be unlawful for the players to be locked out ? something the league plans to do if a new collective bargaining agreement isn?t reached by Sunday ? because the NHLPA isn?t certified by the Quebec Labour Board.


There wouldn't be any games to play, but I guess the players could all argue that as long as they show up they want their paycheck. 

The same thing is being looked into in Alberta. 3 teams full of players who get paid!

I guess they won't be able to play elsewhere if there is indeed a lockout.

 

[drummond]

Quebec Law to Prvent Habs from Being Locked Out?

The NHL Players? Association is hoping that Quebec?s labour laws will keep members of the Montreal Canadiens from being locked out by the league.

The team?s players have hired Montreal-based lawyer Michael Cohen, who sent a cease and desist letter to the Habs owners and the NHL on Friday.

They?re claiming it would be unlawful for the players to be locked out ? something the league plans to do if a new collective bargaining agreement isn?t reached by Sunday ? because the NHLPA isn?t certified by the Quebec Labour Board.


There wouldn't be any games to play, but I guess the players could all argue that as long as they show up they want their paycheck. 

Just a question - can a NHL team be theoretically registred in QC but located for example in California?

 

[bustaheims]

Just a question - can a NHL team be theoretically registred in QC but located for example in California?

Sure, but it wouldn't matter - they'd still be governed by California's labour laws.

 

[drummond]

Just a question - can a NHL team be theoretically registred in QC but located for example in California?

Sure, but it wouldn't matter - they'd still be governed by California's labour laws.

Naturally, I did not realize that. Thanks.

 

[Kaberle15]

I wish that happen to all cities, prevent a lockout in 30 cities, force owners to pay the salary, the deal could be reached in a heart beat...

NHL would be forced to restart the CBA negotiations, since IMHO, the owners and NHL franshise digged their own grave once they started with those 10+ years deals...

That is the main reason I'm with the players, no one forced the owners to do such long, front loaded money deals. If no team practice such type of contract, negotiations would be a little easier as the main reason there is no deal is money distribution between NHL and the Players.

Kudos to Burke for not doing deals like these.

 

[Joe S.]

This quebec thing came up in 2005 as well, and from what I recall no quebec based team players got paid.

 

[Kessel Run]

I have a hard time caring this time around. Just get it done. Like you'd think they would be at it day and night, pressure is on.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

This quebec thing came up in 2005 as well, and from what I recall no quebec based team players got paid.

I believe you're correct.

 

[Omallley]

Bob McKenzie weighs in with a very thorough look at the current situation. Worth the read: http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/bob_mckenzie/?id=404989

 

[Tigger]

Bob McKenzie weighs in with a very thorough look at the current situation. Worth the read: http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/bob_mckenzie/?id=404989

Thanks for posting that, good read on the current situation.

 

[Derk]

That was excellent. I enjoy McKenzie's work.

 

[hockeyfan1]

When the league made unrestricted free agency available after just seven years of service in the old collective bargaining agreement, it gave young players the kind of contract leverage they had never experienced before. The thinking was that as long as costs were fixed with a salary cap, the teams could live with earlier free agency. But in practice, that theory has turned out to be disastrous. Armed with the knowledge that league revenues have risen every year, the young players have essentially gone from entry-level status to unparalled riches in one easy step.

But with the league trying to close that particular gap, it is now basically trying to indenture its top young players for the first decade of their careers. Those same players who have gotten used to being compensated commensurate with the talent instead of their experience are not impressed.

?The thing about it is they?ve kind of attacked every type of player that is out there,? said Phoenix Coyotes goalie Mike Smith. ?Obviously, it?s a younger league now and to put those kinds of limits on the kids coming into the league ? you?re in the prime of your career now between 20 and 30 ? and you should be compensated for it. If you perform you should be paid whether you?re 21 or 27. But obviously the league disagrees with that.?

Source: THN

 

[Big Daddy]

@BigDaddy24968: @NHLPA BREAKING NEWS. NHL getting tough with NHLPA. Players are no longer aloud to play in halls before games or practices. #What'sNext

 

[Omallley]

Bob McKenzie weighs in with a very thorough look at the current situation. Worth the read: http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/bob_mckenzie/?id=404989

Thanks for posting that, good read on the current situation.

Yeah, it was very good...very comprehensive look at where things lie.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Bob McKenzie weighs in with a very thorough look at the current situation. Worth the read: http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/bob_mckenzie/?id=404989

TL;DR?

Excellent article.

The 32 million dollar increase of the salary floor over the past CBA is incredible, especially considering that those teams that should be concerned with operating close to a floor have seen nothing close to that type of rise in profits.

The floor should be determined by the bottom fifteen teams financial performance, it's nice to wax lyrical about financial parity, but it's not realistic as it stands.

Last time I sided with the owners because I felt that a cap should have been in place, this time I have sympathy with the players position, but they need to understand that having a 50/50 split is not the end of the world.

That is of course provided the definition of HRR remains the same.

 

[hockeyfan1]

@ian_mendes
Bettman says NHL is not changing definition of HRR (hockey-related revenue) in their latest proposal.

@michaelgrange
Fehr -- player's proposal consistent with earlier versions -- won't budge on absolute salary reduction #NHL #NHLPA

@michaelgrange
Fehr -- so far we have not seen one dollar of revenue sharing come from anywhere but players wages #NHLPA

@michaelgrange
Bettman -- the new offer is $250m move to the players side #NHL #NHLPA

Source: Sportsnet

 

[Rebel_1812]

@BigDaddy24968: @NHLPA BREAKING NEWS. NHL getting tough with NHLPA. Players are no longer aloud to play in halls before games or practices. #What'sNext

Lol, or maybe they have to kneel and pledge the oath of allegiance to Bettman.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

So are they actually going to spend any significant amount of time NEGOTIATING?

Seems like they just meet every number of days for a short period of time, exchange a new proposal or not, talk about why they rejected it to the media, then repeat it a few days or a week later.

Why don't they spend a significant amount of time actually trying to negotiate?  Or are they?

 

[princedpw]

So are they actually going to spend any significant amount of time NEGOTIATING?

Seems like they just meet every number of days for a short period of time, exchange a new proposal or not, talk about why they rejected it to the media, then repeat it a few days or a week later.

Why don't they spend a significant amount of time actually trying to negotiate?  Or are they?

My sense is there is nothing to say.  The only real issue is the players saying we want 1.5 billion and the owners saying we will give you 1 billion and neither side wants to budge.

Great article by McKenzie.  You just honestly don't see that kind of article very often from the mainstream media.  Too many concrete numbers in it.