Back at the table

The Gleaner has been reliably informed that the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and members of the country’s national senior men’s team - the Reggae Boyz, are back at the negotiation table, after the players submitted a revised offer of US$3,000 (J$450,000), as discussions over a new wage structure for the Concacaf Gold Cup and FIFA World Cup Qualifiers resumed after hitting a snag on Monday.

While refusing confirm the figures in the updated proposals, Rudolph Speid, who in addition to being the chairman of the JFF’s Technical Committee, is also a member of the Task Force responsible for the negotiations, admitted that there was a new offer in place.

He also pointed out that the organisation was simply incapable of meeting the players’ initial demands of US$7,000 (J$1.04 million) per match, without risking the other national programmes.

“They (players) sent it (new proposal) yesterday (Monday) evening and we are looking at it now. If their offer is much closer to what we had suggested (initially), we will be looking at it to see if we can come to some sort of final conclusion,” said Speid.

FALLING APART

Things seemed to have fallen apart after team captain Andre Blake reported on national radio that there was no offer in place, after both parties failed to agree on the fees, with the JFF’s initial offer of US$2,000 (J$301,000) per match for starting players falling way below the players’ original demand of US$7,000 (J$1.04 million) per game for starters, a pay package that Speid said would cost the federation $2 billion.

“Clearly, nobody believes that we could afford $2 billion for a World Cup qualifier. If we did that remember the Women’s World Cup Qualifiers start in November, we wouldn’t have a cent to play those qualifiers,” Speid said. “And of course, we have our Under-15, our Under-17, Under-20 are scheduled to play next year and the following year. It was just something that we couldn’t afford.”

“We have shown them the balance sheet, we have shown them the budget, we have shown them where we make the losses. We have been very transparent with the players and tell them what is happening,” Speid said. “The truth is that we expected them to be more understanding.”

The JFF’s original proposal also saw substitutes receiving US$1,500 (J$224,000) and unused substitutes being paid US$1,000 (J$150,000) with a bonus of US$1,500 for each win and US$1,000 for a draw.

However, according to sources familiar with the negotiations, both parties have adjusted their offers, with the JFF on Sunday submitting increases to the bonuses as well as provisions for image rights. This proposal coincides with a social media campaign from several players with the words ‘Take a Stance’.

But players have, according to our source, now lowered their asking fee, with a counter-offer of US$3000 ($450,000) per game for starters, and a win bonus of US$2000 sent to the JFF sometime between late Monday evening and early Tuesday morning.

Efforts to reach the attorney retained by the players for the discussions proved unsuccessful.

JFF President Michael Ricketts and General Secretary Dalton Wint have also not accepted or returned calls to their cell phones.

Jamaica are expected to play the United States in an international friendly on March 25 in Austria.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com