Trainers at loggerheads with Victorian jockeys in jumpout pay dispute

9.50AM update: Racing Victoria will act as a mediator between trainers and jockeys to help the participant unions strike “a fair and reasonable outcome for all” in the wake of jumpout boycotts.

By Brad Waters and Gilbert Gardiner

9.50am UPDATE: Racing Victoria has weighed into the pay dispute as a mediator between trainers and jockeys to help the participant unions strike “a fair and reasonable outcome for all”.

RV has acted largely as an observer in negotiations between the Victorian Jockeys’ Association and Australian Trainers’ Association but bubbling tensions the past 48 hours forced the regulator intervention.

It comes as the ATA on Thursday night in a letter to trainers slammed the VJA’s “heavy-handed” direction for jockeys to boycott jumpouts from Monday until they are paid as “disappointing and disrespectful”.

RV chief executive Aaron Morrison issued a statement on Friday.

“We have heard the many views expressed across the industry over the past 48 hours,” Morrison said.

“They are varied which underscores the complexity of this issue.

“RV has been working for several weeks to bring key stakeholders together and give them the chance to resolve the matter collaboratively.

“This approach was appropriately respectful of the direct contractual relationship between trainers and jockeys, but it has proven challenging.

“We are now taking a more significant role in fostering productive discussions and finding solutions with the ATA and VJA.

“We understand and appreciate the potential impacts for other industry stakeholders including owners and the overall implications upon the affordability of racing, which are also part of our discussions.

“As the governing body for the industry, our number one priority is to ensure the ongoing viability of the thoroughbred racing industry for all stakeholders and participants.

“We’ll be continuing to work with the key parties to ensure that this issue can be resolved quickly with a fair and reasonable outcome for all.”

The Australian Trainers’ Association has rejected “as disappointing and disrespectful” the Victorian jockeys’ calls to boycott jumpouts until a riding fee is negotiated.

In a letter to members on Thursday evening, ATA chief executive Stephen Bell said the Victorian Jockeys’ Association’s jumpout proposal “is not a sensible or reasonable solution”.

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“We find the VJA’s approach disappointing and disrespectful,” Bell said.

“We are also not clear how much support they have from the jockeys.”

The VJA has directed members not to ride in jumpouts at major training centres, including Flemington, Cranbourne, Balnarring, Pakenham and Ballarat, until they are paid.

Jockeys are paid $110 plus superannuation to ride in official trials.

Jumpouts do not carry a riding fee as they are historically considered part of trackwork and means for jockeys to support trainers in return for rides.

Retained riders and some highly sought-after top class jockeys are paid for jumpouts, based on individual arrangements with trainers.

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Riding fees for races and trials have increased during previous enterprise bargaining between Racing Victoria and the VJA to make up for the unpaid work.

“Jockeys and riders are contractors and it is up to them to decide which race meetings, jumpouts and trials they ride at,” Bell said.

“Usually, if a jockey does not help at jumpouts, they would be less likely to be given race rides.

“This time the VJA and a few jockeys are trying to get RVL (Racing Victoria Limited) to somehow set fees for jumpouts … which is a heavy-handed attempt to pressure trainers and owners into paying them to ride in jumpouts.

“We believe this is already effectively compensated in the blend of other fees and amounts they are paid … jockeys have had substantial riding fee increases and now get an extra one per cent levy on prizemoney, which pays for their insurance and other expenses.

“Generally, Victorian jockeys are seen as very well treated. In contrast, trainers are currently under more pressure, with major cost-of-living increases and higher bad debts.”

Jockeys want payment for jumpouts in line with riding fees for official trials. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

The ATA has warned paid jumpouts would cost owners between $2.21m and $3.25m “if rolled out across the state”.

“On top of that it is estimated that an extra $3.5 million would be incurred if we converted those jumpouts to official trials,” Bell said.

“Obviously, all that gets passed on to and paid by trainers and owners.”

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The number of official trials in Victoria increased from 24 to 48 sets this season after a joint submission to RV from the ATA and Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners’ Association (TROA).

Bell said the lack of scheduling of trials at major training centres, which he attributed to past RV administrations, “has caused a problem for jockeys”.

“They are being held at tracks that are too far away … RVL needs time to address this issue with the major training centres to get more trials,” Bell said.

The ATA and TROA were advised last Tuesday about the VJA “standing down” position on jumpouts, effective from December 1.

The ATA has requested to meet with the VJA and other stakeholders to ascertain “a fair and reasonable solution”.

Originally published as Trainers at loggerheads with Victorian jockeys in jumpout pay dispute