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Alberta labour board to make ruling regarding CHLPA on Tuesday

Neate Sager

The proposed Canadian Hockey League Players' Association is hopeful Tuesday will be the day throwing things against the wall actually sticks.

The organization has registered as a trade union in Alberta, but faces significant obstacles to actually being recognized by any of the three member CHL leagues. The such-as-it-is saga has pointed out a string attached to player education packages in major junior hockey which ought to be snipped by the CHL, so there is that, at least. Now, two weeks after filing an unfair labour practice against the WHL's Calgary Hitmen for allegedly breaking up an organizing meeting with players (an accusation which journalist Kristen Odland noted was "one-sided" since the Hitmen referred comment to the WHL), the proposed CHLPA is taking another foot-in-the-door tactic.

From Collin Gallant:

The Canadian Hockey League Players' Association has applied to waive a 60-day waiting period before players could have a chance to vote on whether they would join the union that wants improved and more accessible scholarship programs from the 60-team league. The Alberta Labour Relations Board will rule on the issue on Tuesday."There are numerous things, like the intimidation and unfair labour practices that have been going on on the behalf of the teams," said spokesman Derek Clarke, a member of the group's "board of advisors" who is in Edmonton this week.

"The Western Hockey League has a policy against bullying and intimidation but it seems that managers can do that without repercussions."

Clarke said team officials have interrupted organizing meetings and players have been benched as a form of retribution but those actions have led to increased interest in his organization.

... Commissioner Ron Robison denies that teams are using intimidation tactics. He said the league is using the legal process to learn more about the CHLPA, which was publicly announced in the summer.

"We're concerned because we're dealing with players who in many cases are minors," said Robison. "(Players) have very little information about unions and this has caused considerable distraction. Players have come forward to us and said they'd prefer not to deal with this at this particular time." (Medicine Hat News)

Once again, there's no specifics about who was benched. Incidentally, Hitmen defenceman Jaynen Rissling, whose coach and GM are accused of "intimidation of their players," told The Pipeline Show on Oct. 13 that "our team as a whole has not been approached" by the CHLPA. Kamloops Blazers overage forward Dylan Willick, who as a 20-year-old player would obviously have the most influence over his teammates and also be the most concerned about life after junior hockey, was also outspoken about the group's tactics.

"Concerns-wise, I just, I haven't heard anything from anybody and it's been what now, two, two-and-a-half months that they've been voicing their opinions and such? I noticed on Twitter it's kind of calmed down quite a bit. There haven't been half as many tweets about it ... at this point, there's still nothing going on there as far as I know and as far as the players know.

"[Willick's concerns stem from] mostly the fact that it wasn't the players starting anything. It was a couple guys who just decided they were going to become the voice for the players, but the players weren't voicing any opinions. It wasn't our opinion, specifically. They were basically feeding us words or putting words into our mouths that we we might not necessarily agree with full-heartedly or agree with the people saying them. That was where my concern was coming from with that.

" ... I haven't heard anything from them. I haven't really read any documentation on what they're looking for. Or who's in office. Or who the head guys are." (The Pipeline Show, Oct. 20)

In any event, all Tuesday's ruling means is that it would push up a certification vote. It does not even mean the players on the five WHL teams in Alberta would vote to certify — and Willick's take indicates the players are skittish about who and what they would be supporting.

Willick has even more scathing comments about the fact the proposed CHLPA might not allow players to pick their own executive director. A union is supposed to work democratically.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Contact him at neatesager@yahoo.ca and follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.