Players voting to dissolve NHL Players Union
As of Sunday, more than 700 members of the NHL Players’ Association began voting to decide whether they should allow the executive board of the union to file a disclaimer of interest. The move would essentially result in the dissolving of the NHLPA, and give the players an ability to file antitrust suits against the NHL, according to The New York Times.
The vote, which will run electronically until Thursday, requires a two-thirds majority to allow the 30-member board to dissolve the union.
Due to the decision by the NHLPA, the NHL decided on Friday that it would file a suit to confirm the legality of the lockout in federal court in New York. The NHL is also alleging that the vote “constitutes bad-faith bargaining,” and consequently it is filing a charge with the National Labor Relations Board.
Both decisions came after the two sides attempted to negotiate in the presence of federal mediators last week. The attempt, however, failed, and reinitiated fears that the NHL would ultimately cancel the season.
Last year, the NBA saw the disbanding of the basketball players’ union after a series of events similar to those that the NHL is experiencing. The NHL’s response, however, is far more aggressive than how the NBA responded to the players’ vote to dissolve their union.
