Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 19, 1995 TAG: 9502220020
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
On Monday, the Professional Hockey Players Association, the bargaining unit for players in the International Hockey League and the American Hockey League, filed a certification petition with the National Labor Relations Board for the purpose of representing ECHL players.
In short, the ECHL may be on its way to becoming unionized.
The NLRB will rule on the players association's petition within 30 days. It is impossible to predict how the NLRB will rule, but officials with the players association are optimistic they will be certified as the ECHL players' negotiating body.
``We've had overwhelming support from the players,'' said Richard Evans, the director of legal and business affairs for the players association.
Evans said union representatives met with players from all 18 ECHL teams during the past several weeks. He said the players association has fielded numerous ``concerns'' from ECHL players in recent years and that those concerns and requests have ``accelerated'' this season.
``We'd prefer to be recognized by the ECHL,'' Evans said. ``If not, the petition process will move forward in what we hope will be a timely manner.''
Past attempts to unionize in the ECHL have failed, but the efforts of the players association constitute some of the strongest yet to bring a union to the 7-year-old league.
``This still has to go through the NLRB, so we'll have to wait and see,'' said Pat Kelly, the ECHL's commissioner. ``The ECHL is proud of its relationship with its players. We'll always work closely with our players, cooperate with the NLRB and abide by labor laws.''
If approved, the existence of a players association would have a profound effect on negotiations between players and management. Everything from salaries to benefits to meal money could be up for review.
Needless to say, many team presidents and general managers are leary of a union's presence.
``It's a fact of life,'' said Carl Scheer, president of the Charlotte Checkers. ``If approved - and it's still a big if - we will do everything to uphold the law and we will do everything the law requires us to do. That's all I can say about it.''
The presence of a union likely would put more decision-making pressure on coaches and general managers. Several sources around the league have said some players may seek guaranteed contracts.
Labor-management disruptions in professional sports have stolen headlines in recent months, as major-league baseball attempts to combat a players' strike by using replacement players and as the National Hockey League shakes off the effects of a 103-day lockout.
Evans, however, said the PHPA is quite different from its NHL counterpart, the National Hockey League Players Association.
``I think I need to stress that, while we obviously have a relationship with the NHLPA, our members are different [than NHL players], especially in terms of salary,'' Evans said. `` ... I know that there are concerns about a union coming in. Fans shouldn't be concerned about any major changes. They are not going to be priced out of an arena and forced to pay $30 for a ticket.''
AROUND THE ECHL: Trevor Jobe, the top goal-scorer in ECHL history, has left Raleigh to play in Zurich, Switzerland.... Former Roanoke Valley Rampage goalie Todd Chinn won his first three games for Huntington before losing 5-0 to Toledo on Wednesday. ... The Charlotte makeover continues. The Checkers traded defenseman Steve Foster to Johnstown for forward Ted Dent.
by CNB