WICB will only have dialogue with WIPA

Kingston: In what seems to be a jolt to the Caribbean players, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has made it clear that it will have a dialogue with only the national players association (WIPA) to solve the ongoing pay dispute.

WICB president Dave Cameron made it clear through a letter to the players’ representative Dwayne Bravo that the it was ready to mediate but only as per the guidelines laid out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the board and the WIPA in September, according to Cricinfo.

In a letter sent to the WICB on October 10, Bravo had sought an “urgent intervention” from Cameron to facilitate a solution to the growing divide between the players and WIPA President and CEO Wavell Hinds.

But Cameron rejected Bravo’s appeal, saying WIPA was the “sole and exclusive collective bargaining representative” of the players.

“While we recognise that we may certainly be able to play a role in mediating the apparent issues between yourselves and WIPA – and are willing if invited, to do so; we must make it clear to you that we recognise and respect the principles set out in the MOU/CBA (combined bargaining agreement) signed by ourselves and WIPA on September 19, 2014 and any involvement on our part could only be in accordance with that agreement.

“What this effectively means is that we will only engage in discussions relating to the welfare, working conditions and remuneration of Cricketers with WIPA.”

Earlier in a letter to Hinds, Bravo had said that the players have lost confidence in the President because of the MoU he signed with the WICB on their behalf in which WIPA agreed to massive pay cuts. But Hinds explained his position in a letter to Bravo and refused to step down from his post.

The players also protested the new terms of WIPA’s MoU deal with the WICB by threatening to go on strike before the first one-day international against India.

However, the Bravo-led side eventually continued to carry on the five-match ODI series, one-off T20 and three Tests after assurance from the BCCI to play “intermediary” and help resolve the issue with the West Indies board.