It appears that the PHPA may be going rogue. According to several players, they did not take a vote to strike and they are not letting players vote on the league proposals. On multiple Facebook fan groups, players have issued the following statements.
John Wilkins of the South Carolina Stingrays
“After spending the last four years with the South Carolina Stingrays, I can honestly say the organization has treated its players with professionalism, class, and respect.
From my understanding, the league recently presented a solid proposal that was denied by the PHPA – without first asking the players or holding a vote to determine whether we felt the offer was fair.
-We are now being encouraged to strike, to not report to play, and to publicly criticize our teams even if we personally want to play. That puts many of us in an extremely difficult and unfair position.
The PHPA has also issued multiple public statements using our names without our review, consent, or approval. Having words and positions attributed to us that we have not personally agreed to is unacceptable.
We signed an agreement to play this season under the existing contract until a new agreement could be reached. We did not sign an agreement to strike, to shut down the season, or to forfeit our pay.
Many of us simply want the opportunity to play -to honor our contracts, support our organizations, and continue our careers while negotiations are handled properly and transparently.”
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits issued what they titled an Official Team Player Statement
“To our loyal fans and our amazing community, We understand that a lot of information is being communicated regarding the player action taking place in the ECHL, some of which is accurate and some of which is not. We wanted to take this opportunity to clear up some of the confusion and talk about our path forward. We believe we play for an ownership group that supports our initiatives on and oî the ice,and that believes in raising the minimum standard of how players should be supported and treated when it comes to housing, travel, player safety, and pay across the entire ECHL. We know we have one of, if not the, best ownership groups in the ECHL, which is always supportive and treats every player on the roster with the utmost respect, and always goes above and beyond when it comes to the issues at hand. We are also fortunate to play in a city where the fan support is outstanding. This action is not about them; this action is about the League. A league we respect and appreciate for giving us a platform to chase our dreams and develop as players and men.Certainly, as professional hockey players, we know our situation can change, through no fault of our own, with a momentâs notice, whether that is being traded or released. When these things happen, we could înd ourselves in a situation that is a complete 180 from our current organization, and this is the crux of the action. We believe there should be minimum standards for all teams, so that regardless of where we play, we know that player safety, housing, travel, and pay for the players will be a priority and sufficient for our needs. We the Greenville Swamp Rabbits apart of the Spire Hockey Group along with TR Lions andRapid City Rush are all standing in solidarity along with the rest of the players in the ECHL. Lastly, we want to thank you the fans for your continued support of us. We cannot be who we are without the support of you!”
Toledo Walleye
“TOLEDO WALLEYE FANS,
BY NOW, YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT THE ECHL PLAYER STRIKE. WE FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT YOU HEAR DIRECTLY FROM US, THE PLAYERS.
FIRST, WE WANT TO BE EXTREMELY CLEAR, THIS IS NOT HOW WE WANTED THIS TO GO. EVERY TIME WE TAKE THE ICE AT THE HUNTINGTON CENTER, WE GET TO PLAY IN FRONT OF THE BEST FANS IN THE ECHL. PLAYING HOCKEY IN TOLEDO IS AN HONOR THAT WE TAKE EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY. THIS ALSO HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TOLEDO WALLEYE ORGANIZATION. THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO PLAY. WE GET A FIRST-CLASS EXPERIENCE PLAYING HERE IN THE GLASS CITY AND WE LOVE REPRESENTING THIS INCREDIBLE CITY.
WE WANT TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND WE BELIEVE IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT HERE. THE PHPA HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE ECHL ON A FAIR CONTRACT THAT WOULD GUARANTEE FAIRNESS AND SAFETY FOR OUR PLAYERS, BUT WE’VE YET TO REACH A DEAL. THIS ISN’T JUST ABOUT MONEY, BUT WE DO BELIEVE THAT PLAYERS DESERVE TO EARN A SUSTAINABLE LIVING WAGE. IT’S ALSO ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE SURE THE LEAGUE IS UNIFORMED IN THEIR OPERATIONS. WE WANT TO MAKE SAFETY A PRIORITY. EVERYTHING FROM EQUIPMENT TO TRAVEL STANDARDS ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR. THIS IS TO BENEFIT ALL PLAYERS IN THE ECHL, NO MATTER WHAT TEAM THEY’RE PLAYING FOR.
OUR GOAL IS TO LEAVE THE ECHL BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT. WE TRULY BELIEVE IN MAKING THIS LEAGUE THE PREMIER DESTINATION FOR PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY AT THIS LEVEL. AS IT STANDS, MANY PLAYERS HAVE TO TRAVEL OVERSEAS TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE BELIEVE THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL HELP TO RETAIN TALENT AND IMPROVE THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF THE LEAGUE.
THE TOLEDO WALLEYE ORGANIZATION IS THE GOLD STANDARD. WE CAN’T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT OUR INCREDIBLE STAFF, FANS, AND MANAGEMENT. OUR GOAL IS TO GET BACK ON THE ICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM YOU, THE FANS, MORE THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND.
THANK YOU,
THE TOLEDO WALLEYE PLAYERS.”
Kalamazoo Wings
“To Kalamazoo Wings Fans,
We would like to provide some clarity and understanding to our fans regarding the upcoming strike.
Fans should know that this labor action is not against the Kalamazoo Wings organization. We are grateful for the support we receive from the Kalamazoo community and the fans who make playing here special. Front office, management, and staff embody what it means to be a professional organization in everything they do. The Wings family is one we are proud to be a part of.
This labor action arises from league-wide rules and conduct that affect players across teams, rather than from any single market or community. As the rules currently stand, players can be released or moved without warning and may end up in situations that lack the same level of structure, support, and professionalism prioritized by Kalamazoo. Our intent is to encourage stronger, more consistent standards across the league so that all players are treated equitably, no matter where they are assigned.
We are thankful for the support, engagement, and loyalty from K-Wing fans and the Kalamazoo community. Your understanding during this time means a great deal to us as players. We hope to be back on the ice soon, representing Kalamazoo proudly.
Respectively,
Kalamazoo Wings Players”
The ECHL also issued a statement on Christmas Eve
We are reaching out to provide an update on collective bargaining with the Professional Hockey Playersâ Association (PHPA) as we approach the unionâs self-imposed deadline of Friday, December 26, to reach a new deal before threatening to go on strike â something that would result in players not getting paid and losing housing and medical benefits â which the ECHL and its teams want to avoid.
“The union continues to misrepresent our proposals and our offer, and continues to insist on extreme demands that are holding us from reaching a deal. We are not engaging with the unionâs publicity stunts that distracts us from our ultimate goal of reaching an agreement that will:
Dramatically increase player compensation, improve player health and safety, and deliver on new initiatives that are responsive to our players needs on and off the ice.
At the same time, we have to do this in a way that both rewards our players and sets up the long-term success of our teams and the sustainability of our league so that we can continue to grow, put on an entertaining and financially accessible product for our fans, and provide as many opportunities as possible to play and develop young players for the next level.
We continue to be willing to bargain and reach a deal that avoids a strike and sets us up for long-term growth. No matter what happens, it will not be possible for us to agree to a new deal that could potentially have dire consequences for teams and the future of our league.
We hope that the PHPA is willing to bargain, and we can reach an agreement that allows us to continue to compete for fans.”
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