Men's Global Employment Report 2020
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FICA MEN’S PROFESSIONAL CRICKET GLOBAL EMPLOYMENT REPORT 2020 IT’S ESSENTIAL THE GLOBAL CRICKET STRUCTURE AND LEADERSHIP PROTECTS THE HISTORY OF THE GAME AND PLAYERS SHOULD BE ALSO ITS FUTURE. DOMESTIC ENCOURAGED TO SPEAK LEAGUES AND INTERNATIONAL UP ON BIG ISSUES IN SPORT CRICKET BOTH HAVE A REALLY AND SOCIETY. WITH STRONG IMPORTANT PLACE AND THERE LEADERSHIP CRICKET CAN BE NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE A GENUINE FORCE FOR GOOD. BETWEEN THEM. Jason Holder Eoin Morgan I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ONE OF THE THINGS OUR THE ROLE OF PLAYERS’ EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED TO ASSOCIATIONS EMBRACED SINCE FORMING A PLAYERS’ ACROSS THE WHOLE CRICKET ASSOCIATION... IS THAT PLAYERS WORLD. PLAYER VOICE IS ARE OFTEN THE ONES LEFT ON IMPORTANT TO PROTECTING THE END OF THE LINE WHEN BOTH PLAYERS AND THE GAME. LEAGUES FALL OVER OR WHEN IN MY EXPERIENCE PLAYERS CLUBS AND LEAGUES DON’T CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE GAME HONOUR COMMITMENTS. WE AND WANT TO ENSURE IT’S HOPE THE ICC WORK WITH FICA HEALTHY AND THRIVING. TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THIS. Aaron Finch William Porterfield 2 THE FICA 2020 EMPLOYMENT REPORT 3 BACKGROUND AT THE TIME OF WRITING, THERE We know that structural issues, terms and conditions CRICKET SHOULD BE PROACTIVELY ARE MORE THAN 4191 REGISTERED of employment, and wage gaps all remain key drivers PROTECTING FUNDAMENTAL MEN’S PROFESSIONAL CRICKETERS of player employment decisions, particularly given there PLAYER RIGHTS AT GLOBAL LEVEL. is now an alternative, global domestic league market for IN THE WORLD. players to play in. We have also seen flexible and effective The ICC currently regulates the ‘sanctioned cricket’ A significant number of these, along with past players, arrangements implemented in several progressive framework, which purports to give it, and it’s members, are represented by FICA, and FICA’s member players’ countries to address some of the inherent issues the right to sanction cricket events in certain associations. This report focuses on the men’s player and imbalances in the global system. circumstances. It also purports to prevent players from employment landscape globally and specifically across playing in ‘un-sanctioned’ cricket. The sanctioned cricket twelve ICC full member countries, and Scotland, where FICA continues to urge the game’s decision makers framework has never been agreed with players, or their FICA has a member players’ association. to work with the players, including through their collective representatives, and accordingly, players are still not representatives at global and domestic level, to develop afforded basic fundamental rights and protections at Our last men’s employment report looked at the shifting agreed sustainable structures and fair regulatory global level and within the framework, despite being landscape, and particularly the evolution of the domestic frameworks that address many of the issues highlighted prevented from playing outside of it. We know, for leagues landscape, and the growing tension between the in this report. FICA will be engaging proactively with example, that: ‘vertical’ and ‘horizontal’ employment pathways. Many key stakeholders in the game with a view to taking the of the trends identified in that report have continued over outcomes of this report forward. • Players across several ICC member countries the last two years, and new challenges have emerged for are actively prevented or discouraged from players and the game. Players are moving more around the OUR GAME DESPERATELY NEEDS forming, or joining, a players’ association; A significant barrier to progress in this area has world than they ever have before, and are engaged by the A COHERENT GLOBAL STRUCTURE. historically been a resistance from the ICC, or its game in numerous different ways, in a complex multi-employer • 32% of players have experienced non or late members, to entering into agreements with players The global game continues to operate in a way that system. Players are also operating in a global system that payment under cricket contracts within the ICC’s collectively, notably FICA, at global level which mutually is by definition, based on individual, rather than collective 2 lacks coherence, and which ultimately doesn’t effectively sanctioned cricket framework; benefit and protect both players and the game. Instead global thinking.1 It is a growing issue that the structure protect them against many of the harms we know are of resisting this, in our view, the game actually has an of the game is not underpinned by a set of fundamental • 16% of players in ICC member countries have caused to them in the system regulated by the ICC, obligation to protect, and provide a safe space, for principles agreed at global level with the various experienced bullying or intimidation; despite our continued efforts to ensure it does. players to form and join genuinely representative stakeholders operating within it, including the players. players’ associations, and collectively negotiate the • Player commercial rights, including their image and In 2020 FICA released its updated Principles, which guide terms of their participation, at both domestic and Whilst the traditional, international cricket focused attributes, are used at global level for commercial FICA’s advocacy for players. They underline FICA’s commitment global level. In cricket and other sports, history tells landscape remains strong in some countries, and through purposes, often without their agreement or consent. to ensuring the game protects, respects, and enforces us that where this happens, the outcomes for both ICC events, it is in jeopardy across numerous countries and internationally recognised human (and employment) rights, players and the sport will always be better. there are limited pathways to the top for others. Our game All of these instances of harm are inconsistent with and that the global game continues to grow and develop. has four core formats; Test, four-day domestic, 50 over, the internationally recognised rights that players should Those things are not mutually exclusive. We and the players see a media release every time and T20, and has added further formats in recent years. be afforded. Other progressive sports are starting to a player breaches the ICC’s Code of Conduct. We The global cricket calendar provides choice, but it lacks proactively address these types of issues at global level, THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE IN continue to urge the ICC to also work with us to embed, coherence, simplicity and clarity. The development and or have already. Despite our efforts over a number of at global level, proactive protections for players who are ENSURING THAT MORE PLAYERS, evolution of the domestic leagues landscape and a more years, cricket hasn’t, and it’s global regulatory system vulnerable, and where the game is causing them harm, FROM MORE COUNTRIES, CAN club based model has added another dimension to this, and lacks legitimacy as a result. rather than simply sanctioning them when they fall out put further strain on finite global calendar space. Players HAVE VIABLE CAREERS. of line. FICA remains committed to this course of action, operate across all of these landscapes, and their career Earlier this year we attended the ILO Global Dialogue This report also highlights some of the progress, issues, and and we do not believe it is a sustainable position for decisions continue to drive the direction of the game. Forum on Decent Work in the World of Sport in Geneva.3 barriers to progress, across major cricket countries relating to the ICC, its members, and the global game in general, That forum, which the ICC did not attend,4 made it the game generally, and player employment in those countries. to continue to fail to act in a manner consistent with At the time of writing, the structure of the game for the clear that players’ must be afforded fundamental rights In speaking to players around the world, there is a deep respect international norms, and the clear direction of travel next ICC events rights cycle, which will commence after at work. The rights applicable to sport and players, and acknowledgement of the fortunate position they are in, in world sport. 2023, is being discussed. We urge the game to ensure this sourced from various international legal instruments, but the reality for the vast majority of the world’s professional piece of work is founded on a set of principles agreed with are comprehensively set out in the World Players’ cricketers is that they work hard to earn a reasonable living TOM MOFFAT key stakeholders, including the players, as to how the global Association Declaration of Player Rights, to which in an environment characterized by insecurity, short term FICA CEO game can move forward, and in particular, how the various FICA is a signatory. They include for example, the contract periods and differing levels of welfare support. landscapes mentioned above, can co-exist, and balance. right to freedom of association (i.e. the right to form For most, it is a challenge to have a viable career. and join a players’ association), and to collectively 1 The ICC has referred to itself as a ‘members’ organisation’ negotiate terms and conditions of employment. 2 FICA Global Player Survey 2019, based on 277 men’s professional cricketer respondents 4 THE FICA 2020 EMPLOYMENT REPORT 3 The International Labour Organisation is an agency of the United Nations 5 4 FIFA, the IOC, and World Rugby all attended this forum as observers OUR OUR VISION PRIORITIES To be recognised and respected PLAYERS as the global representative federation Serving players’ collective of all professional cricketers, past interests globally and present, around the world. Players are at the heart of everything we do. We will continue to strengthen our relationships and affinity with them, continue to understand their needs, and their issues, and represent and OUR deliver for them at global level THE GAME PURPOSE Positively influencing the direction of the global game FICA IS THE WORLD We care about the game.