KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – One day after ECHL players initiated a midseason strike against teams, including the Kalamazoo Wings, the league and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement Saturday to halt the strike.
The tentative deal, which requires ratification from the league’s board of governors and full player membership, was announced by the players’ union and league on Saturday night. The strike, which began with Friday’s games, led to the postponement of 28 games through Saturday’s schedule.
No details about the CBA have emerged as of Saturday night, and it remains unknown when the league will resume play. The sides had been negotiating since January.
The PHPA represents minor league hockey players in the American Hockey League and the ECHL, formerly called the East Coast Hockey League. The ECHL is two tiers below the NHL and has 30 teams that all hold an affiliation with an NHL franchise.
It was revealed when the strike was initiated that the players were seeking a league-wide holiday break — including no travel — for Dec. 24-26, which would align with the NHL’s current schedule. They were seeking “reasonable limitations on travel between games played on consecutive days,” citing health and safety concerns.
The other big areas where the union and league were apart were guaranteed contracts, health benefits, group rights and player compensation. The players wanted a group licensing framework a la other North American sports leagues. As for compensation, they asked for a $19,500 weekly salary cap with increases in future seasons.
The league claimed it promised a 19.8% increase in the salary cap in its latest proposal.
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