CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Cyclones have postponed another game, scheduled Saturday, Dec. 27, as the ECHL players' union and Professional Hockey Players' Association fail to negotiate a deal.
The ECHL previously said a deal must be reached by Dec. 26, or players would strike.
As of Christmas, the ECHL said an agreement had still not been reached. The ECHL said it made its "last, best and final offer" to the PHPA on Christmas Day, but claims they did not receive a formal response from the PHPA.
"Unfortunately, union leaders deprived players of the opportunity to vote on our last, best and final offer — an offer that would dramatically raise player salaries by 20% in the first year, boost the per-diem rate, guarantee more off days and expand the top-of-the-line equipment available to players," reads a statement from the ECHL. "We did everything possible to avoid this outcome, and hope that the union leadership will drop its unworkable scheduling demands, let the players vote on our offer and make it possible for players to return to work."
The ECHL does not explicitly say the strike is active yet, instead saying it heard from certain players that they would not report for their scheduled games; a spokesperson with the Cyclones said the team's game would be postponed "due to the player strike," however.
The Cyclones, an ECHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Friday afternoon it would postpone Friday's game. The team announced Saturday afternoon that Saturday's game, which was scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., was also postponed.
"Both teams will make every effort to make up this game and those details will be announced at a later date," the Cyclones' announcement said.
The Cyclones' next game is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 28, at the Wheeling Nailers.
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.
"We have informed the ECHL that we are willing to continue discussions to resolve all outstanding matters," Ramsay said in a statement. "For several months, we have been engaged in bargaining with the league, and their unlawful and coercive conduct throughout this process has been incredibly disappointing. We are asking for basic standards around health, safety and working conditions that allow the players to remain healthy, compete at a high level and build sustainable professional careers."
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 posted its initial offer on Dec. 22, saying it would include an immediate 16.4% increase to the salary cap; 100% of players' housing, utilities and medical benefits covered; and proposals for travel limits on back-to-back games and one mandatory day off each week.
You can read the full and most recent offer here.
"Our approach will continue to balance the need to best support our players and maintain a sustainable business model that helps ensure the long-term success of our league so it remains affordable and accessible to fans," the league said in its release.
