It seems that the PHPA could also be going rogue. In accordance with a number of gamers, they didn’t take a vote to strike and they don’t seem to be letting gamers vote on the league proposals. On a number of Fb fan teams, gamers have issued the next statements.
John Wilkins of the South Carolina Stingrays
“After spending the final 4 years with the South Carolina Stingrays, I can truthfully say the group has handled its gamers with professionalism, class, and respect.
From my understanding, the league not too long ago introduced a stable proposal that was denied by the PHPA – with out first asking the gamers or holding a vote to find out whether or not we felt the supply was truthful.
-We at the moment are being inspired to strike, to not report back to play, and to publicly criticize our groups even when we personally wish to play. That places many people in an especially troublesome and unfair place.
The PHPA has additionally issued a number of public statements utilizing our names with out our assessment, consent, or approval. Having phrases and positions attributed to us that we have now not personally agreed to is unacceptable.
We signed an settlement to play this season beneath the present contract till a brand new settlement may very well be reached. We didn’t signal an settlement to strike, to close down the season, or to forfeit our pay.
Many people merely need the chance to play -to honor our contracts, assist our organizations, and proceed our careers whereas negotiations are dealt with correctly and transparently.”
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits issued what they titled an Official Staff Participant Assertion
“To our loyal followers and our superb neighborhood, We perceive that a number of info is being communicated relating to the participant motion happening within the ECHL, a few of which is correct and a few of which isn’t. We needed to take this chance to clear up a number of the confusion and discuss our path ahead. We consider we play for an possession group that helps our initiatives on and o the ice,and that believes in elevating the minimal normal of how gamers ought to be supported and handled in terms of housing, journey, participant security, and pay throughout the complete ECHL. We all know we have now considered one of, if not the, finest possession teams within the ECHL, which is all the time supportive and treats each participant on the roster with the utmost respect, and all the time goes above and past in terms of the problems at hand. We’re additionally lucky to play in a metropolis the place the fan assist is excellent. This motion is just not about them; this motion is concerning the League. A league we respect and admire for giving us a platform to chase our desires and develop as gamers and males.Actually, as skilled hockey gamers, we all know our state of affairs can change, by way of no fault of our personal, with a second’s discover, whether or not that’s being traded or launched. When this stuff occur, we may nd ourselves in a state of affairs that may be a full 180 from our present group, and that is the crux of the motion. We consider there ought to be minimal requirements for all groups, in order that no matter the place we play, we all know that participant security, housing, journey, and pay for the gamers will likely be a precedence and adequate for our wants. We the Greenville Swamp Rabbits aside of the Spire Hockey Group together with TR Lions andRapid Metropolis Rush are all standing in solidarity together with the remainder of the gamers within the ECHL. Lastly, we wish to thanks the followers in your continued assist of us. We can’t be who we’re with out the assist of you!”
Toledo Walleye
“TOLEDO WALLEYE FANS,
BY NOW, YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT THE ECHL PLAYER STRIKE. WE FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT YOU HEAR DIRECTLY FROM US, THE PLAYERS.
FIRST, WE WANT TO BE EXTREMELY CLEAR, THIS IS NOT HOW WE WANTED THIS TO GO. EVERY TIME WE TAKE THE ICE AT THE HUNTINGTON CENTER, WE GET TO PLAY IN FRONT OF THE BEST FANS IN THE ECHL. PLAYING HOCKEY IN TOLEDO IS AN HONOR THAT WE TAKE EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY. THIS ALSO HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TOLEDO WALLEYE ORGANIZATION. THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO PLAY. WE GET A FIRST-CLASS EXPERIENCE PLAYING HERE IN THE GLASS CITY AND WE LOVE REPRESENTING THIS INCREDIBLE CITY.
WE WANT TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND WE BELIEVE IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT HERE. THE PHPA HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE ECHL ON A FAIR CONTRACT THAT WOULD GUARANTEE FAIRNESS AND SAFETY FOR OUR PLAYERS, BUT WE’VE YET TO REACH A DEAL. THIS ISN’T JUST ABOUT MONEY, BUT WE DO BELIEVE THAT PLAYERS DESERVE TO EARN A SUSTAINABLE LIVING WAGE. IT’S ALSO ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE SURE THE LEAGUE IS UNIFORMED IN THEIR OPERATIONS. WE WANT TO MAKE SAFETY A PRIORITY. EVERYTHING FROM EQUIPMENT TO TRAVEL STANDARDS ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR. THIS IS TO BENEFIT ALL PLAYERS IN THE ECHL, NO MATTER WHAT TEAM THEY’RE PLAYING FOR.
OUR GOAL IS TO LEAVE THE ECHL BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT. WE TRULY BELIEVE IN MAKING THIS LEAGUE THE PREMIER DESTINATION FOR PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY AT THIS LEVEL. AS IT STANDS, MANY PLAYERS HAVE TO TRAVEL OVERSEAS TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE BELIEVE THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL HELP TO RETAIN TALENT AND IMPROVE THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF THE LEAGUE.
THE TOLEDO WALLEYE ORGANIZATION IS THE GOLD STANDARD. WE CAN’T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT OUR INCREDIBLE STAFF, FANS, AND MANAGEMENT. OUR GOAL IS TO GET BACK ON THE ICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM YOU, THE FANS, MORE THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND.
THANK YOU,
THE TOLEDO WALLEYE PLAYERS.”
Kalamazoo Wings
“To Kalamazoo Wings Followers,
We wish to present some readability and understanding to our followers relating to the upcoming strike.
Followers ought to know that this labor motion is just not towards the Kalamazoo Wings group. We’re grateful for the assist we obtain from the Kalamazoo neighborhood and the followers who make enjoying right here particular. Entrance workplace, administration, and workers embody what it means to be knowledgeable group in the whole lot they do. The Wings household is one we’re proud to be part of.
This labor motion arises from league-wide guidelines and conduct that have an effect on gamers throughout groups, moderately than from any single market or neighborhood. As the foundations at the moment stand, gamers will be launched or moved with out warning and will find yourself in conditions that lack the identical stage of construction, assist, and professionalism prioritized by Kalamazoo. Our intent is to encourage stronger, extra constant requirements throughout the league so that every one gamers are handled equitably, irrespective of the place they’re assigned.
We’re grateful for the assist, engagement, and loyalty from Okay-Wing followers and the Kalamazoo neighborhood. Your understanding throughout this time means an ideal deal to us as gamers. We hope to be again on the ice quickly, representing Kalamazoo proudly.
Respectively,
Kalamazoo Wings Gamers”
The ECHL additionally issued an announcement on Christmas Eve
We’re reaching out to offer an replace on collective bargaining with the Skilled Hockey Gamers’ Affiliation (PHPA) as we strategy the union’s self-imposed deadline of Friday, December 26, to succeed in a brand new deal earlier than threatening to go on strike – one thing that will end in gamers not getting paid and shedding housing and medical advantages – which the ECHL and its groups wish to keep away from.
“The union continues to misrepresent our proposals and our supply, and continues to insist on excessive calls for which are holding us from reaching a deal. We’re not participating with the union’s publicity stunts that distracts us from our final objective of reaching an settlement that may:
Dramatically enhance participant compensation, enhance participant well being and security, and ship on new initiatives which are conscious of our gamers wants on and off the ice.
On the similar time, we have now to do that in a means that each rewards our gamers and units up the long-term success of our groups and the sustainability of our league in order that we will proceed to develop, placed on an entertaining and financially accessible product for our followers, and supply as many alternatives as potential to play and develop younger gamers for the following stage.
We proceed to be keen to discount and attain a deal that avoids a strike and units us up for long-term development. It doesn’t matter what occurs, it won’t be potential for us to comply with a brand new deal that might doubtlessly have dire penalties for groups and the way forward for our league.
We hope that the PHPA is keen to discount, and we will attain an settlement that enables us to proceed to compete for followers.”
