South African Cricketers' Association to meet to discuss possibility of industrial action over commercial rights dispute

The move from the players’ union is in relation to claims of unlawful use of player commercial rights in the Mzansi Super League by Cricket South Africa

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) will meet on Friday to discuss the possibility of taking industrial action against Cricket South Africa (CSA).

The move from the players’ union is in relation to claims of unlawful use of player commercial rights in the Mzansi Super League by the national governing body.

In a statement announcing the steps, SACA chief executive Tony Irish said: “Unfortunately SACA has again had to commence a formal process against CSA in respect of yet another situation in which the commercial rights of players in the MSL have been ignored.

“CSA has used and allowed the use of, the names and images of players in association with a fantasy league game related to MSL without any rights to do so and despite SACA having relayed to CSA that such use is unlawful. The situation has continued despite our concerns raised on repeated occasions, leaving us little option but to take formal steps.

“SACA has also, and simply as a precaution, requested CSA to obtain clearance from its anti-corruption unit to ensure that this use of players in a pay-to-play game does not in any way constitute an association of the players with gambling, or encouragement of betting practices, which are not permitted under CSA’s anti-corruption code. As far as we know this request has been ignored by CSA.

“This is yet another instance, in a growing line of instances, where CSA has flagrantly disregarded our agreements and, over the last week or so, failed to address SACA’s resulting concerns. We now feel that enough is enough.

“SACA has called a meeting of its players executive committee and its management board for Friday, December 6, 2019. At this meeting, we will again be discussing the manner in which SACA and the players are being treated by CSA. This discussion is likely to include the possibility of the players taking some form of industrial, or protest, action.

“SACA has always considered strike, and other similar forms of industrial action, to be a very last resort and in SACA’s 17 years of dealing with CSA to date not one day of cricket has ever been lost to industrial action.

“However things have now reached a stage where we must ask what SACA, and the players, are expected to do when the leadership of CSA, both operationally and on its board, continues to ignore our legitimate concerns and refuses to acknowledge the players as key stakeholders in the game.”

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