The stage has been set for cricket's "rancorous pay dispute" to careen off the "cliff" beyond the June 30 deadline after the Australian Cricketers' Association branded a revised Cricket Australia pay offer as "insufficient" and "advised players not to sign individual contracts issued by the governing body on Friday," according to Barrett & Pierek of THE AGE. CA "offered a concession of sorts" in a letter from lead negotiator Kevin Roberts to ACA CEO Alistair Nicholson, saying that "all domestic players would be included in a share of the game's surplus and have their annual pay rises topped up." However, it has not served as "the circuit breaker that is desperately needed for a resolution to be found to the ongoing saga, which hinges largely on the players' desire to retain a share of the game's revenue." Nicholson said, "Whilst any movement is welcome, this movement is insufficient. ... It's not revenue-sharing for all players." Nicholson also told players that CA's sending of individual contracts on Friday "had been done without the ACA's consultation and the contracts did not contain terms and conditions." Nicholson added, "Our advice is to please do not sign" (THE AGE, 6/23). In Sydney, Peter Lalor reported Australia's cricketers "pleaded with their bosses to enter emergency mediation." The ACA condemned CA for "repeatedly rejecting mediation" and accused it of "failing to provide financial disclosures and leaking confidential information to the press in an inflammatory release" issued on Friday. CA told players they will not be paid if they do not sign. Players "responded by signing their intellectual property to the ACA which will effectively block CA's attempts to seek sponsorship." The "most explosive" claim by the ACA is that CA "appears unwilling to remove controversial pregnancy clauses in female contracts." The existence of the clauses was reported late last year, "prompting the Fair Work Ombudsman to launch an investigation into the arrangements." Comment is being sought from CA on the allegations (THE AUSTRALIAN, 6/23).
