Some teams against the idea of replacements?

[Tawnos]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=113552

"However, Quebec labour ministry spokeswoman Michele Poirot says NHL players aren't covered under the province's labour code. Ditto in B.C., where the NHLPA isn't certified as a union, says provincial labour ministry spokesman Graham Currie."

OK, scabs in BC is not a problem. Because the NHLPA isn't recognized as a union there. Nor is it recognized as a union in Quebec. However, it IS recognized as a union everywhere in the United States and apparantly in Ontario and Alberta as well. Ironic that the two provinces in which replacements are illegal, the NHLPA isn't recognized as a union. Iconoclast is completely wrong though, the NHLPA is a real union.

Either way, back to the main topic. Snider, Illitch, Stanley Kroenke (Avs), Tom Hicks (Stars), MLS&E.. no way are these guys for replacement players. I'd be surprised if James Dolan (Rangers) was as well, given that he's in the media and knows that the American media is going to destroy the NHL if they go to replacements. The media is an element people forget about.

 

[AM]

as far as I know

A few myths need to be swatted away:

(1) The NHLPA is not a union.



Call it what you want, but all players must be in it, and it is the officially recognized bargaining agent for all players in all jurisdictions. That, my friends, is a union. Sure, they make more than the UAW, but they're still a union.

(2) Higher ticket prices are the result of higher salaries, which is the union's fault.



This has been around for years, the idea that high salaries = high tickets. The two aren't related. Teams set ticket prices to maximize revenue, just like WalMart sets their prices to maximize revenue, or in their case, profits. Because people are willing to pay $40.56 for a ticket, that's the price. That, in turn, lets owners pay the players more. Chop salaries by 50% and you won't see prices fall by 50%.

(3) Union members in general won't support the NHLPA or reject the idea of a scab league because the NHLPA is made up of rich people.

Also false. In BC and Quebec, for example, laws exist forbidding the use of replacement workers. If, by some miracle, the NHL somehow circumvents these laws and uses scabs in Vancouver and Montreal, there will be instant outrage. Not because union workers care that millionaire hockey players are missing out, but because if the non-scab law doesn't apply to hockey, what's to say it applies to trade unions? If the NHL doesn't have to abide by it because they're rich, then why would the richer GM pay attention to anti-scab laws? There would be a legal precedent set allowing scabs, and that is not what any union worker wants to see.

A scab would be the most hated creature in BC or Quebec, for those reasons. Doesn't matter if they are replacing millionaires or low-paid factory workers.

the NHLPA is not registered as a union in BC or PQ.

 

[Cawz]

Because the NHLPA isn't recognized as a union there. Nor is it recognized as a union in Quebec... Iconoclast is completely wrong though, the NHLPA is a real union.

How can it be a real union if its not recognized everywhere? If it was a real union, wouldnt there be no disputing whether its real or not?

Or mabye its a matter of semantics. Such as: its not a real union, its an association, but in most places its treated exactly like a union, so theres no difference no matter what you call it, except in BC and PQ...?

 

[Tawnos]

Each province in Canada obviously has different laws on what constitutes a union and what doesn't. Maybe BCs law stipulates that a union can't have individual members negotiating their own contracts. I honestly don't know. Not being recognized in two jurisdiction out of twenty-one possible jurisdictions is not cause to claim that they aren't a real union.

 

[alecfromtherock]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=113552

"However, Quebec labour ministry spokeswoman Michele Poirot says NHL players aren't covered under the province's labour code. Ditto in B.C., where the NHLPA isn't certified as a union, says provincial labour ministry spokesman Graham Currie."

OK, scabs in BC is not a problem. Because the NHLPA isn't recognized as a union there. Nor is it recognized as a union in Quebec. However, it IS recognized as a union everywhere in the United States and apparantly in Ontario and Alberta as well. Ironic that the two provinces in which replacements are illegal, the NHLPA isn't recognized as a union. Iconoclast is completely wrong though, the NHLPA is a real union.

Either way, back to the main topic. Snider, Illitch, Stanley Kroenke (Avs), Tom Hicks (Stars), MLS&E.. no way are these guys for replacement players. I'd be surprised if James Dolan (Rangers) was as well, given that he's in the media and knows that the American media is going to destroy the NHL if they go to replacements. The media is an element people forget about.

I knew that John Davison on Hockey Central knew what he was talking about when he said Quebec does not recognise the NHLPA as a union.

Your link is a perfect example of pudding proof-ary.

The word I would use for the NHLPA in BC and PQ is a paradox: Both provinces are against scabs yet neither recognises the PA as a Union.

 

[me2]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=113552

"However, Quebec labour ministry spokeswoman Michele Poirot says NHL players aren't covered under the province's labour code. Ditto in B.C., where the NHLPA isn't certified as a union, says provincial labour ministry spokesman Graham Currie."

OK, scabs in BC is not a problem. Because the NHLPA isn't recognized as a union there. Nor is it recognized as a union in Quebec. However, it IS recognized as a union everywhere in the United States and apparantly in Ontario and Alberta as well. Ironic that the two provinces in which replacements are illegal, the NHLPA isn't recognized as a union. Iconoclast is completely wrong though, the NHLPA is a real union.

Someone should tell Linden.

It hasn't been one with Lane's son, although Trevor emphasizes that the NHLPA is not a union because it does not bargain for individual contracts and, in the current dispute, is arguing for a free-market system.

http://www.canada.com/vancouver/van....html?id=f18cefbe-9b8f-4afd-bf71-3a892d522ebf

 

[Tawnos]

Look, there's no direct quote in there and I've even seen quotes can be twisted. My guess is that Linden was talking about BC only, considering that's where the article ran.

Re-reading that article, the writing is terrible. Much too much ambiguity there.

 

[PecaFan]

My favourite part of the article is Linden saying "that's the way negotiations should be" regarding two sides coming to an agreement.

Yet the hypocrite has no problem insisting that arbitration must be present in the CBA, even though it's a third party enforcing their will on one party. Mr. "Free Market" should be insisting on its removal.

 

[CGG]

the NHLPA is not registered as a union in BC or PQ.

This has been disputed ad nauseum. The question I ask is this: How come the Montreal Expos were not allowed to play games with replacement players back in 1995? All of their home games would have been in Florida. The MLBPA is the exact same as the NHLPA from a legal point of view. Union, association, whatever you want to call it. Anti-scab legislation still holds up.

 

[eye]

This has been disputed ad nauseum. The question I ask is this: How come the Montreal Expos were not allowed to play games with replacement players back in 1995? All of their home games would have been in Florida. The MLBPA is the exact same as the NHLPA from a legal point of view. Union, association, whatever you want to call it. Anti-scab legislation still holds up.

If what you say is true about the Expos perhaps it was because the MLBPA was smart enough to have certified themselves in the PQ.

The players more so than the owners have a responsibility to the fans of the game to make sure that this thing doesn't end up in the courts. The damage would be catastrophic for the game. I hope their counter proposal comes in at 37.5 soft with a 25 million floor and 42.5 hard with room for negotiations on all other aspects of the CBA. Linden has to be the voice of reason and the one leader with the credibility and authority to stop the insanity.