Combet joins union in cricket pay row

AUSTRALIAN captain Steve Smith has tried to downplay fears of an Ashes wipe-out as former union heavyweight Greg Combet joined the pay fight against “aggressive” tactics from Cricket Australia.

The Australian Cricketers Association has brought in Combet, the former ACTU secretary and ex-Labor minister, to advise it on strategy and combat CA moves the union believes are trying to curb its influence.

Negotiations over the next memorandum of understanding remain stalled as the ACA pushes for a continuation of the 20-year-old revenue sharing model and increases in funding to grassroots cricket, while CA wants complete reform.

It has called for third party mediation, which CA has, so far, rebuffed.

The union has enlisted the help of Combet, who addressed its player delegates earlier this year and believes the governing body does not want to take advice on how to spend its millions from players.

“It seems to be that a business philosophy ... is being brought to it that says the players need to be essentially treated like employees and the cricket board will make the decisions about the allocation of the money. ‘We don’t need any advice from the players, thanks’,” Combet told the ABC.

News Corp has reported the ACA will lose a $4 million annual funding grant from CA when the MOU expires on June 30, after which all national players will be unemployed.

ACA chief executive Alistair Nicholson, who flies to the UK today to update Smith and his team as they prepare for the Champions Trophy, welcomed Combet’s help.

“With so much at stake, to have the assistance of someone so well regarded in industrial and political life is terrific,” Nicholson said.

“That assistance is welcome given these very aggressive industrial relations tactics by Cricket Australia.”

A CA spokeswoman said it remained committed to its pay proposal, which would reward national and female players with immediate pay rises and increases funding to grassroots cricket.

But it is also open to negotiation, as soon as the ACA removed its preconditions about sticking only to the revenue share model

‘‘CA also works effectively with the players’ association and has for many years, and, indeed, wants to negotiate a collective agreement with the union,” the spokeswoman said.

“CA will continue to keep its eye on the ball and not the man as we work towards a new collective agreement.”

Speaking on the issue for the first time in London, Smith tried to downplay fears, sparked by his vice-captain David Warner, that CA “might not have a team for the Ashes” if a pay deal could not be done.

“Of course, we want to play in the Ashes. It’s just about making sure the guys finalise a deal and get the MOU sorted, and then everything will be fine,” Smith said.

The Aussies open their Champions Trophy campaign next Friday.