Netball Australia put forward revised offer but players’ likely to reject as bitter industrial dispute rages

Immediate back pay is among the new proposals put forward by Netball Australia to players today, writes LINDA PEARCE.

Maddy Turner of the Swifts competes for the ball against Georgie Horjus of the Thunderbirds. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Netball Australia and the Super Netball clubs have presented a revised pay offer — including dangling the carrot of immediate back pay — to the players’ association, while promising to make further concessions on revenue share.

While negotiations over the latter – and major – sticking point continue, the deal would include an 11 percent wage rise over the three-year term of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and back pay from October 1, with all athletes having come off contract on September 30.

But it will almost certainly be rejected by the players, with an ANPA meeting currently underway, given that the current offer is still missing the key elements of an agreed revenue-share deal and important commercial considerations including on player IP.

That is despite a meeting of the Netball Australia board on Tuesday night that is believed to have resolved to shift further on the players’ revenue share demand, but ANPA adamant the current offer that kicks in only after Super Netball has broken even is closer to the profit share proposal they have consistently rejected.

A return to the negotiating table is expected on Friday.

Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan has presented a revised pay offer to players. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“We have listened to the players and their need for financial certainty right now,’’ NA CEO Kelly Ryan said. “This offer we have put forward would allow them to be paid immediately, while we continue negotiations with ANPA on building a financial model for the league.’’

NA says acceptance of the latest offer, even with the specifics of revenue-share unresolved, would provide pay relief, “certainty and stability” as well as allowing the contracting period to begin for all Suncorp Super Netball teams.

The statement said: “Netball Australia and the teams remain committed to a long-term agreement, with significant annual guaranteed increases to player base salaries, additional commercial earning opportunities and for the first time in the sport’s history – a revenue-share partnership.

Where is the revenue share component that the players have been asking for? Only 11% increase to the minimum wage not the entire salary cap. https://t.co/e8wBtNlkNZ

— Jo Weston (@joannamweston) November 29, 2023

“Netball Australia has today written to ANPA inviting them to a meeting, to outline further potential concessions regarding the revenue-share model and opportunities for players to work more closely with commercial partners to grow the sport for all parties to share’’.

ANPA will hold a press conference on Thursday where they will “ ... announce resolutions unanimously endorsed by the players ... (and) the revenue sharing proposal.”

In a short statement on Wednesday night, ANPA said they were “more resolved and more determined than ever to achieve a fair deal with the governing body.”

Originally published as Netball Australia put forward revised offer but players’ likely to reject as bitter industrial dispute rages