Cricket Australia’s pay proposal “disrespects the value of domestic cricketers”, according to the Australian Cricketers’ Association © Getty Images
The pay dispute between Cricket Australia and its players is set to continue after the Australian Cricketers’ Association rejected CA’s latest pay proposal. At the core of the ACA’s opposition is CA’s desire to scrap the revenue-sharing model that for nearly 20 years has linked player payments to the amount of income generated by the game.
This, in the words of the ACA, would end a partnership “that allows players to share in the ups and downs of the games and its revenue, and allows for fluctuations in media rights cycles”. CA has argued that the revenue-sharing system has served its original purpose of making cricketers some of the highest-paid sportspeople in the country.
However, the ACA on Friday outlined a series of concerns with CA’s latest proposal, including that it “disrespects the value of domestic cricketers and the role they play in Australian cricket”. The ACA also argued that the proposal would create inequity within playing groups by ensuring that some players – male international players – benefited from a revenue share, but not others.
The ACA added that the proposal “denies female cricketers the opportunity to share in the game’s revenue”, though it acknowledged that CA’s response for gender equity had largely been otherwise positive.
“The ACA also expresses frustration that what should be a relatively simple and good faith negotiation has not proceeded in this way,” the ACA said in a statement on Friday. “The fact that CA has, despite various attempts to do so, produced no logical reason to break the successful partnership model and longstanding relationship with players, leaves the players unclear as to CA’s objectives.”
The ACA has offered its own proposal for what it calls a “modernised” revenue-sharing model, with a 55% share for CA, a 22.5% share for grassroots cricket, and a 22.5% share for male and female players. The deadline for a resolution to the ongoing negotiations is June 30, when current player contracts expire.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo