ECHL, PHPA reach tentative agreement on new CBA

On Saturday night, the ECHL and Professional Hockey Players’ Association announced a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, ending a players’ strike that lasted two days.

Details of the new CBA must be provided, but are expected to come to light after the new deal is ratified.

The announcement comes after a short two-day players’ strike, during which 40 games were postponed over the weekend. Players will report to their respective clubs and begin play.

Earlier in the week, the PHPA announced that ECHL membership had issued a strike notice, following a strike authorization mandate issued on Dec. 18. The strike became official on Friday.

The PHPA filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, hoping it would help move the negotiations forward, with players citing that the ECHL had “resisted basic player safety and working condition issues.” In the open letter to fans sent on Monday, the players claimed that the league had been undermining the bargaining process that has been ongoing since January. They stated that they felt “disrespected, undervalued and taken for granted,” and that the ECHL prefers “bullying to bargaining and does not respect the process nor the players’ right to negotiate a fair settlement.”

The ECHL later responded with details of its CBA offer, revealing an immediate 16.4% increase in the salary cap, which under the old CBA is reportedly $15,000 per week. The ECHL also stated, along with an increase in player salaries in the near future, the league would continue cover 100% of housing costs, utilities, and medical benefits. The league also mentioned proposals “aimed at improving health and safety,” including more mandatory days off, addressing back-to-back game travel, and modifications to holiday and mid-season breaks.

Prior to the strike, the ECHL had been playing on extensions of old CBAs that expired after last season.