NBA's referees -- why not supported by the NBA Players Union?

[theHandpuppet]

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but what has been the response of the NBA Players Union to the lockout?

[Blue_Tires]

1. the players have always only looked out for themselves

and by themselves, i mean CURRENT players...go look and see how they treated some of the old and destitute stars from the 50s and early 60s who lobbied the union for a pension -- because of a later agreement, only players playing after a certain year (1964? maybe?) were elegible for full benefits...there are not a lot of these guys left and to include them would have cost one fraction of one percent of the what the players take in...and of course, for years the union has shut them out, thinking it better just to wait for them to die off...George Mikan, the league's first superstar, died penniless and his survivors couldn't afford to bury him (Shaquille O'Neal paid for the funeral costs)

[theHandpuppet]

2. Thanks. I was hoping this wasn't the case.

But it looks as if the NBA Players Union doesn't give a crap about other working union members. I'm just wondering why this fact hasn't gotten more press, i.e., I haven't even heard the subject broached on any of the sports programs. I guess if you're just one of the "serfs" in this world you don't count. I'm ashamed that none of the players have spoken up about this.

[Omaha Steve]

3. NBA Players Union Stands With Refs

Is there a picket line for the refs?


http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/09/23/nba-players-union-stands-with-refs/

Posted Sep 23, 2009 9:15AM By Tom Ziller (RSS feed)

Filed Under: NBA Referees



Hornets guard Chris Paul may not be worried about replacement referees coming to the NBA, but Paul's union apparently feels differently. Derek Fisher, the Laker who heads the National Basketball Players Association, put out a statement Tuesday supporting the referees union in its labor dispute with the league.

In the statement, Fisher called the implementation of B-level referees "unacceptable" and said that replacement refs "could compromise the integrity of the game." He also asks the league to treat the refs fairly, presumably because Fisher would like the league to treat players fairly in ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

The league has locked out its current referees, and will begin training replacement refs culled from the D-League and the WNBA this week. The first preseason game -- to be officiated by replacement refs unless a last-minute deal is struck -- is October 1.

The NBPA statement comes at very interesting time, as the players union and a committee of team owners and league execs meet today to continue those CBA negotiations. The bargaining agreement expires in two years. The owners have vaguely threatened a lockout if their demands to reduce the share of revenue guaranteed to players is not decreased. The owners are also expected to push for a higher age minimum for draft eligibility, while the players want to preserve their revenue share while also pushing for expanded revenue sharing between the teams.

The referees and league are fighting primarily over changes to the retirement benefits packages afforded to officials.