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PHPA, ECHL ratify new Collective Bargaining Agreement

PHPA, ECHL ratify new Collective Bargaining Agreement

Thursday, March 22nd

The Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) and ECHL today announced the ratification of a new five-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The new CBA, effective July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2023, has been ratified by ECHL players and approved by the League’s Board of Governors.

The CBA has been modified to include enhancements to the Reserve System as it relates to Veteran players, housing and travel reimbursement provisions, basic medical benefits for players and their families through the off-ice health insurance program, as well as increases to the salary cap and per-diem.

“We appreciate the efforts of the bargaining committees from both the Players and Owners,” said ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna. “Their input was extremely valuable over the past nine months. We feel this is a fair deal which addressed the needs of the Players and allows for cost certainty for our owners over the next five seasons.”

“The players advised us of the areas within the CBA most important to them, and we feel this deal addresses those issues, adding both monetary and non-monetary value for present and future ECHL players,” said PHPA Executive Director Larry Landon. “This agreement also provides cost certainty over the next five years, which in turn helps us in our goal of preserving quality jobs. I would like to thank all those involved throughout the negotiation process including the contributions from our Executive Committee and ECHL Player Representatives.”

Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) is the certified, U.S. National Labor Relations Board collective bargaining representative for over 1,600 players across 57 teams throughout the American Hockey League and ECHL.

About the ECHL

Began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 27 teams in 21 states and one Canadian province for its 30th season in 2017-18. There have been who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 17 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2017-18 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 31 NHL teams in 2017-18, marking the 21st consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook.