WICB/WIPA start negotiations

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) have started negotiating a revised collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and memorandum of understanding (MoU).

The negotiations recently started in Barbados in a bid to chart a positive way forward for what has been a difficult issue to resolve, WIPA said.

The meetings are to discuss the terms and conditions, which could result in a mutually agreed CBA and MoU between the two parties.

The CBA and MoU came into effect on Sept. 1, 2005 with the provision that they could be changed or replaced with the agreement of both parties. If not, they would continue to be in force.

However, in 2011 the WICB signaled its intention to unilaterally terminate the CBA and the MoU.

WIPA objected to the move, stating that only did the parties intentionally omit a unilateral termination clause, but the agreement mandated to the parties to negotiate and come to an agreement themselves, roll over agreements for another three years, or that a new agreement be formed by a third party pursuant to a dispute resolution clause.

WIPA also got a court order forcing the WICB to treat the CBA and MoU as in full force and effect.