Turmoil in West Indies cricket continues

PORT OF SPAIN - Talks have broken down between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) over the controversial players’ contracts and both parties have opted for arbitration to resolve the issue.

WICB vice president Dave Cameron said 10 days of tough negotiations under mediator Shridath Ramphal had failed to find a solution to the dispute.

“No agreement could be reached at the conclusion of the mediation process and the next option that is provided under the dispute resolution clause of the Memorandum of Understanding and Collective Bargaining Agreement with WIPA is arbitration,” the Jamaica Gleaner Wednesday quoted Cameron as saying.

“What is keeping us apart? Fundamental to the issues is that we have an MOU and a CBA by which we have been operating and the players have changed essentially how they want to be represented and viewed in commercial terms,” he added.

“But we are saying to the players, that while we accept and may accept what they are suggesting, there is a process for it. We have had agreements in the past, let us continue to operate under those agreements, negotiate new agreements and we shall take into consideration all that has been proposed.

“The reaction has been ‘Accept us now without contracts and let us play while we determine the best way forward’. Well, we have done this long enough and that approach is unacceptable,” Cameron contended.

Top West Indies players boycotted the home series against Bangladesh in July, citing pay and contract issues. The WICB was forced to field a weakened squad which resulted in Bangladesh sweeping both the Test and One-day series.

The top players will also miss the Champions Trophy later this month in South Africa.

Part of the problem has also stemmed from the creation of the West Indies Players’ Management Company (WIPMC), which now controls the image and intellectual property rights of many leading West Indies players.

“WIPA is demanding that this company is now introduced into our negotiations,” Cameron pointed out, adding: “We do not know anything about this company. We do not know what is their intention. So, before we can work with any company all of this has to be cleared up.

“At every juncture, we have said ‘Sign the contracts, let’s proceed to the next step, get whatever issues they are arbitrated or mediated upon and if you are entitled to more, we will make this available to you’.

“We still view them as our players and we want the players association, but we want to be able to sit down and negotiate terms and we do not want to do it with 99 or 100 players across the Caribbean,” Cameron contended.

He indicated that the revolting West Indies players were available for selection for the Champions Trophy but were not eligible for selection.

“The squad terms for the Champions Trophy have to be signed and again we issued it to WIPA on their behalf and we have had no response,” he said.