High-powered WICB team meet WIPATuesday, May 19 2009
ST JOHN’S, Antigua: A high-powered, four-member team have been selected to represent the West Indies Cricket Board in negotiations with the West Indies Players’ Association over a new Memorandum of Understanding and Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The team will comprise attorneys-at-law Derek Ali and Walter Scott, as well as management consultant Gerard Pinard, and industrial relations specialist Robert “Bobby” Morris.
They will work with the WICB’s legal affairs officer Alanna Medford to establish new arrangements that will include the contracting of a larger number of players to the WICB, with the aim of making the sport at the domestic level more professional.
“The WICB welcomes the team and expresses confidence in its ability to deliver its mandate over the ensuing five-month period,” stated a news release from the WICB.
“The committee had an initial meeting on May 7, at which they were briefed on the WICB’s position and conducted extensive discussions on the best way forward for West Indies cricket.”
Ali is noted for his specialist practice before the Industrial Court of Trinidad and Tobago, where he has appeared in numerous trade disputes, as well as before multiple statutory boards. He has appeared and continues to practice before the Supreme Courts of Guyana and Grenada, the Court of Appeal of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, and the Privy Council.
Pinard has an extensive background in human resources and industrial relations. He has served on several Cabinet appointed committees in TT.
Scott is a partner in the Jamaican firm, Rattray, Patterson & Rattray, while
Robert Morris is the director of industrial relations of the Barbados Workers Union.
The WICB noted that the previous MOU and CBA between the WICB and WIPA was for a term of three years, and came to an end in September last year, though it remains in effect until new agreements are signed.
“The WICB has signalled to WIPA since November last year its desire to negotiate a more comprehensive agreement and the parties agreed to engage in discussions over a time period of five months, with a view to implementing a new framework that would take effect retroactively from October 1, 2008,” the news release added.
The WICB hopes to address players’ health, welfare, and fitness in the new agreements, as well as anti-doping and anti-corruption codes.
(CMC)
