WIPA accuse WICB of poor practice

The West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) have responded forcefully to the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) bypassing them in negotiations for next month's tri-nation series in Kuala Lampur and Singapore, calling the board's action "premature" and accusing them of trying to "divide and rule."

In a media release, the board said negotiations with WIPA had broken down on August 2 and because of the "tight timelines between now and the September tournament," they had decided to offer match/tour contracts directly to the 14 players invited to play in the tournament.

However, WIPA rejected the board's explanations yesterday. The players' body said they were "alarmed at the decision taken by the WICB to bypass the official and legitimate representative body of West Indies players and to negotiate individually with the players."

Claiming that the WICB had acted while negotiations were still in progress, the WIPA release said: "The basic tenets of good industrial relations have been flouted by the board. WIPA cannot help but conclude that the WICB continues to show total disregard and disrespect for the players' organisation and the players themselves."

The release continued: "To allege that time was against the board and that it needed to conclude negotiations for the series is clearly indicative of its last-minute approach to negotiations and its internal problems that should not be inflicted on the players and the cricketing public." WIPA said "eleventh hour pressure to coerce players to sign agreements...would be tantamount to acceding to blackmail."

The release said further: "What is particularly disquieting from WIPA's standpoint is the apparent divide and rule approach."

WIPA said they only became aware of the deadline and ultimatum from the players who were being contacted individually.

"This action by the WICB was being undertaken even in the midst of negotiations between the WICB and WIPA as it was at that time after WIPA was making its second offer that we were informed by the WICB of its decision to go directly to players. This is another clear manifestation that the WICB was not negotiating in good faith."

WIPA also said that the tri-nation series which is also to involve India and Australia, was outside of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) and as such, the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding agreed to by the WICB and WIPA must be observed. These include that the WICB will provide WIPA with reasonable opportunity to consider the proposed arrangements prior to adoption.

The release said also that, "from the inception of our several agreements, it was clearly established that matches outside the FTP would be essentially a revenue earner for both parties. WIPA articulated this position making it clear that it wanted to share in any profits generated from tours outside the FTP.

"During the course of the negotiations WIPA reduced its initial proposal on two occasions to the WICB as part of a compromise. On the other hand the WICB has not done the same regarding its first proposal which remained its final proposal. Indeed, it adopted "a take it or leave it attitude". WIPA consider this approach by the WICB an anathema to basic and good industrial relations practice."

The players' body also claim that they have not been given full financial details about the series. "While WIPA received some financial details about this event on July 31, WIPA is yet to receive information that it has requested pertaining to the name of the team's sponsor for the event, the obligations of the players and the value of the sponsorship deal.

"By participation in this series," the release said, "the Champions Trophy and the Pakistan tour will result in travel savings to the board of approximately US$300,000. It is also of interest to note as well that the players would be away on tour for well over three months."

Despite their several concerns however, WIPA said they were "fully committed to resolving this matter in the interest of West Indies cricket and the cricket loving public of the region and sincerely hope for an observance of the type of industrial relations and negotiating standards that the region would expect from WIPA and the WICB."