NFL Lockout Watch, Day 61: Dolphins Cut Employees' Salaries Until Lockout Ends

Dolphins CEO Mike Dee “advised all members of the organization during a meeting Tuesday that pay cuts would be immediately issued across the board until the lockout ends,” according to sources cited by Jeff Darlington of the MIAMI HERALD. Any member of the team “making more than $75,000 will face a 20 percent pay cut.” Those making “below $75,000 face a 15 percent pay cut" and anyone below $50,000 "will be hit with a 10 percent pay cut.” The sources said that “employees were told their salaries would be reinstated to their previous levels after the lockout is lifted and players return to work.” The sources added that the team during the meeting “blamed lagging season ticket sales -- basing those struggles on the lockout rather than 2010’s dismal team performance -- for the need to slash salaries.” There is “a chance the lost wages eventually will be returned to employees,” but sources “expressed doubt about such a possibility.” Dolphins Senior VP/Media Relations Harvey Greene yesterday said, “We’re a private company. We don’t comment publicly about our internal practices” (MIAMI HERALD, 5/11). In Miami, Armando Salguero reports team employees “were told the cuts affect ‘everyone,’ meaning coaches, personnel department staff and business side management are also believed affected although that was not made clear.” The cuts “affect only salaried employees but not employees making an hourly wage.” Pension plans and health insurance “were not cut.” The Dolphins “will soon have a morale problem among its employees if the first-day reaction to the news is any measure.” The team was “asked if room could be made for shortened work weeks to somehow ease the pain of what is a 10-20 percent pay cut,” but “no, was the answer on that one” (MIAMIHERALD.com, 5/11).