OHL and CHL may be sued due to "sweatshop conditions"

Submitted by Gordon on

The Canadian junior hockey league system, and specifically the OHL, may be sued due to a “blatant disregard for the bare minimum working standards that have been set for employees.”

CHL players have been starting talks of a proposed union, and team management has been squashing that talk, with everything up to trading players just to punish them for union discussion.

One of the main points of the case against the league?  Bad payouts on education benefits, and also bad payouts on basic minimum wage.

Read James Mirtle's article here - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/chlpa-threatens-to-sue-clubs-over-sweatshop-conditions-for-players/article4676440/

And read the actual letter sent to OHL teams here - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/article4675509.ece/BINARY/PDF%3A+CHL+Players%27+Association+letter+threatening+to+sue+clubs+for+illegal+working+conditions

Looks like the WHL and QMJHL will receive similar letters shortly.  This could be very, very interesting, especially if some OHL teams have to open up their books under penalty of perjury.

WCHBlog

October 26th, 2012 at 12:37 AM ^

It's a good idea, but it's not going to go anywhere because the "organization" or whatever you want to call it that claims to be representing the players is a total joke.

Sac Fly

October 26th, 2012 at 1:26 AM ^

The education package given by the CHL is really only used by players who don't make it to the show. Since it is only an option to pick up for a small duration after you're done playing, most guys don't ever get to use it.

Unfortunately most players aren't going to the CHL for money, they go there to play against the best competition in the world. The saddest part is that the NCAA could use this as an advantage to build a stronger league, but they don't care about college hockey.

ToledoBlue

October 26th, 2012 at 10:54 AM ^

Someone posts a topic incorrectly on the internets two choices for correction are:

 1. Politely let them know what steps to take in the future, most of us being human an all do make mistakes.

2. Reply with venomous snark alerting everyone to how this great injustice has hurt your sensibilities and making yourself look like an ass.

 

 I see what you did there.

Sac Fly

October 26th, 2012 at 11:33 AM ^

I don't think it is. Although the odds are not in our favor, this has the possibility to impact NCAA hockey. It may only be important to a small percent of this board, but do have a hockey team.

justingoblue

October 26th, 2012 at 11:52 AM ^

You cannot discuss Michigan Hockey recruiting without mentioning the OHL/CHL, so if something starts changing with the junior leagues in the Great White North, it's news at Yost.

High schools changing rules about camping for football, or significant AAU rule changes would be on the board without any issue, so I'm not seeing the problem here.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

October 26th, 2012 at 4:12 PM ^

I still say the best outcome is for copious amounts of light to be shed and nothing to actually be done.  Hockey players already think the Canadian juniors provide the best for their future even though it's really not true.  We don't want them thinking it's true AND it being true as well.