CINCINNATI — Less than 48 hours after the Cincinnati Cylones went on strike, the holdout has come to an end as the Professional Hockey Players' Association (PHPA) and the ECHL have reached a tentative deal.
The tentative collective bargaining agreement remains subject to ratification by PHPA's ECHL member and approval by the ECHL Board of Governors, the announcement said.
The news of a potential strike was first announced on Dec. 22, after what the players' association called "ongoing unfair labor practices" by the ECHL as the two sides participate in collective bargaining agreement discussions.
Specifically, PHPA Executive Director Brian Ramsay said the league has participated in "unlawful and coercive conduct" throughout talks, including contacting players directly with proposals. Those moves, the players' association said, prompted them to file an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board.
On Dec. 24, the ECHL disputed Ramsay's claims and said every communication it has had with the PHPA, players and teams has been "appropriate and lawful." The group also said it has been bargaining in good faith with the PHPA for nearly a year, but the PHPA has engaged in "regressive bargaining, adding new items as recently as this week and holding back confirmation on agreed upon items."
The ECHL eventually said that if a deal wasn't reached by Dec. 26, players would strike.
The Cylones, an ECHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, postponed both Friday and Saturday's games at Heritage Bank Center. Heritage Bank Center said the two postponed games will be rescheduled for a later date.
With the tentative deal in place, "players will report to their teams in good faith and prepare to return to play, pending ratification and approval," according to the deal's announcement.
The Cyclones are scheduled to play Sunday at the Wheeling Nailers. The team returns to Heritage Bank Center for a New Year's Eve matchup against the Indy Fuel.
