Windies board, players’ association talks progress
June 22nd, 2012 - 3:13 pm ICT by IANSBridgetown (Barbados), June 22 (IANS/CMC) The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) says “significant progress” has been made in talks with the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) on the controversial Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), following nearly three days of meetings here last week.
The WICB and WIPA sat down with a three-man mediation team from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Federation of International Cricketers Association (WICB) to hammer out a solution to the long-running issue that has plagued relations between both parties, Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) reports.
And though the board was upbeat about the ongoing negotiations, it cautioned there was still plenty work left to be done before a full deal could be reached.
“WICB and WIPA met in Barbados for two-and-half days in the presence of ICC and FICA and made significant progress on various issues,” the WICB’s corporate communications officer Imran Khan told CMC Sports.
“Further time is necessary for work to be carried out over the coming weeks and no further comment will be made at this stage.”
Discussions over a new CBA and a Memorandum of Understanding started last year but proved contentious and ended up the Trinidad and Tobago High Court earlier this year, with a judge ruling that the CBA would remain intact until a new agreement was brokered.
Both WIPA and the WICB, in a joint statement prior to the latest round of negotiations, said the involvement of ICC and FICA was “in a bid to chart a positive way forward for what has been a difficult issue to resolve.”
The ICC was represented by Dave Richardson, the general manager-cricket, and acting legal head Iain Higgins, while FICA was represented by chief executive Tim May.
Richardson is set to replace Haroon Lorgat as the CEO of the ICC next month.
The WICB’s negotiation team comprised CEO Ernest Hilaire and legal officer Alanna Medford while WIPA was represented by Dave Kissoon, director Michael Hall and ex-WIPA chief Dinanath Ramnarine.
The CBA and MOU govern players’ rights and were first signed six years ago between Ramnarine and then WICB president Ken Gordon.
–IANS/CMC
abr/vt
- Richardson to mediate in West Indies cricket controversy - Jun 10, 2012
- Ramnarine ready to negotiate despite WICB reservations - Jul 02, 2011
- WIPA gives seven days to WICB to apologise to Ramnarine - Jun 23, 2011
- WIPA ready to negotiate collective bargaining agreement with WICB - Jul 08, 2011
- Ramnarine resigns as WIPA president - Mar 27, 2012
- Gayle meets West Indies Cricket chief to thrash out issues - Aug 24, 2011
- Hilaire to quit top WICB job for diplomatic posting - Jul 04, 2012
- Gayle wants end to Windies snub, says Caricom must step in - Jul 02, 2011
- Court battle looms as WIPA accuses Board of 'unreasonable restraints' - Aug 28, 2011
- Windies Players' Association sues Board for $20 million - Aug 27, 2011
- WICB offers to meet with Gayle to end impasse - Jun 23, 2011
- Players association welcomes Caricom's initiative on Gayle - Jul 05, 2011
- Frustrated Gayle may turn away from West Indies cricket - Jun 17, 2011
- Chris Gayle recalled after high-level meeting - Jun 05, 2012
- West Indies coach Gibson wants to renew contract - Sep 12, 2012
Tags: caribbean media, collective bargaining agreement, corporate communications officer, dave richardson, half days, hilaire, imran khan, international cricket council, international cricketers, kissoon, mediation team, memorandum of understanding, negotiation team, stage discussions, tim may, west indies cricket, west indies cricket board, wicb, windies, wipa