NZCPA to consider NZC settlement offer

Following three days of negotiations the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association is to consider a settlement offer tabled by the New Zealand Cricket bargaining team covering both domestic and international players.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive officer Martin Snedden said "real progress" had been made during the negotiations meeting.

"The Players' Association has raised a number of significant issues during the negotiations process to date which need to be addressed and we have acknowledged these and dealt with them through our settlement offer."

The settlement offer agrees to the establishment of a player payment pool so that players share in the income of New Zealand Cricket.

Two other concerns addressed in the offer are the level of remuneration of domestic players and security of income for both domestic and international players.

"New Zealand Cricket and the Major Associations recognise that it is important that domestic players earn a reasonable level of income during the domestic cricket season and as result the settlement offer also increases the amount of money available to pay domestic players," he said.

"New Zealand Cricket has also recognised that a lack of security of income is a major issue for the players and has addressed that issue through the settlement offer by significantly increasing retainer payments for all levels of international and domestic players and by indicating a willingness to offer proven performers two year contracts."

As well as increasing retainer levels for international players the settlement offer also proposes increased match appearance fees for Tests and One-Day Internationals.

New Zealand Cricket and the Major Associations have been able to achieve this through their settlement offer by increasing the amount available for player payments from $4.56m to $4.7m and through a better quality remuneration system.

A further settlement meeting has been scheduled for October 22.