ECHL hockey players, including Iowa Heartlanders, on the verge of striking

CEDAR RAPIDS - If you’ve got tickets to see the Iowa Heartlanders play Bloomington at Xtream Arena the night after Christmas, hold on to them for now.

There might not be a game.

The Professional Hockey Players’ Association said ECHL players will go on strike Friday in response to stalled negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement. The Heartlanders are one of 30 clubs in the league, which is considered second to the American Hockey League in the hierarchy of minor league hockey.

“We have informed the ECHL that we are willing to continue discussions to resolve all outstanding matters,” PHPA Executive Director Brian Ramsay said in a statement. “For several months, we have been engaged in bargaining with the league, and their unlawful and coercive conduct throughout this process has been incredibly disappointing. We are asking for basic standards around health, safety and working conditions that allow the players to remain healthy, compete at a high level and build sustainable professional careers.

“Our members have never been more united and remain ready to return to the bargaining table at any time. We sincerely hope the ECHL will engage in good-faith negotiations so a fair agreement can be reached and any disruption to the season can be avoided.”

The collective bargaining agreement between the ECHL and PHPA, which represents players in the ECHL and AHL, expired after last season. The sides agreed to work under conditions of that CBA while a new one is worked out.

The PHPA sent an open letter to fans in middle November saying there had been little recent progress on CBA talks, which was an obvious warning sign. The union said it has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board “seeking to remedy the league’s unlawful conduct and restore the parties’ statutory obligation to bargain in good faith.”

Among other things, the PHPA is requesting players be able to rest and recuperate at proper intervals in order to lower injury risk and optimize play. The ECHL is known for extensive travel and three-in-three weekends (three games in three days, many times at different cities).

Players also are requesting higher pay. Rookies in the league earn $530 a week, veterans players $575, with weekly salary caps for teams set with a floor of $11,110 and a cap of $14,600.

League clubs do pay for all player housing and utilities costs and provide medical and dental benefits.

The ECHL has countered with a message detailing what it said is its latest offer to players. It includes a raise in the annual salary cap, mandatory weekly days off (including an immediate one after a three-in-three weekend) and a travel mileage limit for back-to-back games.

“As we continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Hockey Players’ Association, our goal continues to be reaching an agreement that increases player compensation, improves health and safety, and delivers on new initiatives that are responsive to our players to support them on and off the ice,” the league said. “Our approach will continue to balance the need to best support our players and maintain a sustainable business model that helps ensure the long-term success of our league so it remains affordable and accessible to fans.”

The PHPA sent an updated message on negotiations Tuesday afternoon that seemed to indicate the chances of a strike have increased.

“Earlier today, after sending a written request to the ECHL to resume talks last evening - which went unanswered - the PHPA contacted the ECHL with an offer to avoid missing any games and use a mediation or arbitration process to find a settlement,” a Ramsay statement said. “The ECHL responded within minutes, rejecting any interest in this solution and demanding ”significant movement“ and concessions from the players. This approach continues to align with the increased threats our membership has faced over the past 18 hours.”

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