Government spoke too soon on CHL employment issue, says players’ lawyer

OHL commissioner David Branch, who also serves as CHL president, sent a letter to the provincial government on Nov. 5 as an effort to keep the league’s 425 players under the title of amateur athletes, and not allow them to potentially become employees regulated by provincial employment standards legislation.

The government responded to Branch’s letter on Thursday, with Tibollo offering Branch a form of support by declaring “our government is behind you,” and that “I want to reassure the OHL and the people of Ontario that we are actively looking at providing this clarity to the OHL.”

Tibollo had not yet responded to a request for comment by The Canadian Press.

In 2014, Toronto-based Charney Lawyers, a firm pursuing the case along with Goldblatt Partners, filed a $180-million lawsuit against the CHL on behalf of all current and many former players for outstanding wages, overtime pay, holiday pay and vacation pay. Sam Berg, a former Niagara IceDogs forward, and Daniel Pachis, a former member of the Oshawa Generals, were recognized as the representative plaintiffs against the OHL when the lawsuit was certified in March 2017.

The OHL has appealed the certification and is expected to be heard in court on Jan. 29.

Mandryk says that in the meantime Branch is using a “power move” to help persuade public opinion in the league’s favour rather than waiting to let the courts decide an outcome, so Mandryk followed up by sending his own letter to government officials within hours of Tibollo’s response.

“Lobbying efforts we’ve been made aware of, where the OHL is pushing the government to exempt players from employment standards and we’re trying to communicate to the government that that’s the wrong-headed move.

“If we want to figure out if these folks are employees or not, which we’re certain they are, there’s a matter before the courts and the court’s in a position to do that.”

Mandryk says that Branch’s timing of the letter isn’t coincidental with a new provincial government recently being elected.

“Up until this point Ontario has said no to their requests and have refused to exclude these young workers from employment standards and I think they’re taking another kick now that there’s been an election and a new government,” said Mandryk.

“(The government) is receiving pretty public and vocal pressure form the league, (Branch’s) open letter is pretty strong and we know they’ve registered to lobby.”

The CHL, which the OHL is a part of along with the Western Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, has always considered major junior players — typically ranging from 16 to 20 years old — as student athletes.

Players are currently eligible for post-secondary school scholarships, with each season spent in the league being worth one year of tuition, books and compulsory fees. Players also get money for out-of-pocket expenses, equipment, billeting and travel costs while on a CHL roster.

Branch believes the league is already doing enough for its players.

The OHL’s recent move came after virtually all other jurisdictions in which CHL teams play have reviewed this issue and already passed exemptions/clarifications on employee standards, including Quebec, New Brunswick, B.C, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island, as well as Washington and Michigan.

Kyle Cicerella, The Canadian Press

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version incorrectly said Joshua Mandryk was a representative for Ted Charney Lawyers

by Canadian Press

Government spoke too soon on CHL employment issue, says players’ lawyer

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