Cricket: Union questions players' strike tactics

By CATHERINE MASTERS

The industrial nous of the Cricket Players' Association has been questioned by one of New Zealand's biggest unions, which says the cricketers may have tried to get too much too soon.

Andrew Little, national secretary of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, said it seemed the players' association was not negotiating for a collective agreement under the Employment Relations Act (ERA), which cast doubt on whether the cricketers could strike.

"It just seems to me some of our leading cricketers are being led up the garden path a wee bit, looking from the outside," Mr Little said.

Provincial associations are this weekend naming second-string sides for pre-season warmup matches, because association members are refusing to play until their pay and conditions claims are settled.

Mr Little said he had no idea why the cricketers had not worked with the ERA but it was a tactical error.

The association did not seem to be negotiating for a collective agreement under the ERA, therefore the players could not go on strike.

However, if players were not employees of New Zealand Cricket, but on contract, then the strike was a refusal to be engaged and it was outside the protection of the ERA.

"If they were under the ERA New Zealand Cricket couldn't just go off and hire replacement players, which they are doing," Mr Little said.

There was no reason the players should not seek employee status and a collective under the act. The rugby players' association had done this and overseas teams used their nations' employment laws.

Mr Little said the Cricket Players Association might also have moved too quickly, even if its claims were justified.

"Maybe they tried to get it [their claims] all in one go and they should have thought about it over a couple to three years."

Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson this week backed the association and called on the CTU's 300,000 members and their families to stand behind it.

"Suddenly the cream of our young cricketing talent is being vilified by [New Zealand Cricket] and sports commentators."

Cricket sponsors said sponsorship arrangements would not be affected by the stand-off.

TelstraClear , which sponsors the national men's and women's teams, said it was in for the long haul.

National Bank, sponsor of this year's international series with India, was reluctant to comment.

"We've only got one statement that we're making and that is that we fully support New Zealand Cricket and that we're confident that the National Bank series will take place this year," said spokeswoman Gordana Brkljaca.

Cricket's domestic sponsor, State Insurance, said it was disappointed State Max had been cancelled but it was confident there would be domestic cricket this season. '

The Herald tried to get comment from top players Stephen Fleming, Chris Cairns, Craig McMillan, Daniel Vettori and Nathan Astle, but they either did not return calls or did not want to comment.