NBA looks to replacement refs to fill the void of striking referee union
Lyle Morissette
Sports Editor
Head-ache and frustration may be on the menu as the referee’s union recently rejected the NBA’s final contract offer with a stern and unflinching 57-0 rejection vote, consequently causing the impasse to come to full circle.
Countless fans will be screaming ‘Amateurs,’ and what many players will have to come to terms with, when the NBA tips of its 2009-10 season come October 31st.
With the previous contract between the two sides formally ending on September 1st, and with training camp expected to be opening on September 20th, a new deal was a must. But negotiations have hit a brick wall, and the new reality is a lockout, and consequently, replacement officials.
The main and unresolved issue, according to lead union negotiator Lamell McMorris, is over referee retirement plans and severance pay, both of which have been lingering on for some time.
A severance package, which referees have turned into a long-standing practice, is expected in addition to their pension. The NBA opposes this practice and wants to eliminate this lump sum severance payment, but only for referees newly anointed, or with 10 years or less of service; consequently, the union is not budging.
A source close to the talks let slip the fact that there are other issues, including the use of WNBA and D-League referees in regular-season games, as well as salary, dental and medical coverage, and other pension issues to round out the formation of the gloomy situation.
McMorris, in regards to the lockout, states, “There are concessions they’re willing to make, there are changes they’re willing to make, we gave back an additional $1 million in concessions in the last 24 hours, but there are some things we cannot concede. I don’t know how you can lockout employees that are willing to continue to give back money, that’s just kind of beyond me. But the fall work schedule begins this weekend, and it appears that is not going to happen. It’s not going to happen with us, it’s not going to happen with the 57 active referees.”
The concessions that each side is willing to make—and not make– have thus become the linchpin of the situation. The league hopes to bridge the gap the economic crisis has stamped onto the league not only this year, but also in the foreseeable future. The union, on the other hand, is looking to protect all of its members, and its future.
The union also is chasing a two-year pact—the NBA has traditionally negotiated five-year pacts, which is a troublesome notion to a league that wants stability, and does not want to think about another possible fiasco occurring only a few years down the road.
“It is extremely disappointing that the NBRA has ignored the economic realities, rejected our offer, and left us with no choice but to begin using replacement referees,” executive vice president and general counsel Rick Buchanan (NBA) told the Associated Press.
With retirement bonuses of up to $575,000, on top of pension benefits that could top out over $2 million, and including annual salaries ranging from $150,000 (entry level) to $550,000 (senior), the NBA seems to have a strong case. However, union members have released a statement claiming those numbers are distorted.
The league will be, hopefully for fans and players alike, ready to handle and resolve this situation quickly and sufficiently.
Then again, maybe these “new” refs might actually call travelling.