Whilst some people might think sky are calling the shots on when teams play, over the super league era they have pumped millions into our game which as been totally squandered on overseas players and 30 odd year olds who should not be still playing. The administration of the clubs and the rfl as not been fit for purpose and although we are in strange times we have been asking for trouble as a game. When you get Bradford going bust when they were getting tv deals, sponsers, prize money and gates over 20000 at some games says it all.
Is a player in the wrong or breaking any laws by refusing to take a pay cut or is he in his rights to walk away as a free agent if the club refuse to pay his full contract and would downing tools be breaking his contract in the circumstances. If any players wants to walk then I hope the club use the money to pay the players their full salary.

The RFL was given 16 million to safeguard the future of the game and Ralph rimmer said it would be used wisely, I’ve no idea where this money as gone but 500000 each equates to 6 million spread through the super league clubs with 10 million left.

This could actually be a blessing in the long run where we could bring a sport back from the brink by producing our own players and stopped wasting money, I think the game well I know the game is in a bad state, let’s just hope it survives

Nobody can argue with this.
If any of us have a new contract put in front of us, we're not obliged to sign.
However, if the correct channels have been gone through, the only option left is to sign or, walk away.

The £16,000,000 IIRC wasn't allowed to be used for wages, although I'm sure that some clever administrators can divert some monies in all sorts of directions to engineer anything taken from the "pot" to use in different areas. However, it's a loan and not a gift and will still need paying back.

You have to have sympathy for all businesses, effectively prevented from trading, to stop the spread of the virus and there will be 1000's of businesses that simply run out of money and football / rugby clubs etc are certainly vulnerable.

Although things in England are generally better than they were, in terms of the virus, Covid is spreading like hell in other areas of the world and even scraping to the end of the season may only delay the inevitable.

If they can manage to do so, the players need to do all they can to help keep the sport breathing.
It wont suit every player but, the alternatives dont bear thinking about for the players or the clubs.

The £16M was a loan that needs to be repaid and I believe Michael made the decision to safeguard the future of the club by not taking on debt that will need to be repaid down the line for short term benefit. When you consider that every club is going to lose £280K (I think that was the figure) from next years Sky funding then having a debt that needs to be repaid out of reduced funding seems the wrong thing to do.
I'm pretty sure that Michael knows what the club can and can't afford to do, after all he has masterminded getting us out of debt and onto an even keel over the last few years. I'm also pretty sure that he will be constantly evaluating the options to see if we need to do something different.

At the end of the day, without a sugar daddy that can pump millions in each year then we have to cut our cloth accordingly.

Doesnt a 12 week consultation have to take place befote any alterations to contract can be supplied

Yeah, and about 5 minutes consultation before a business or club goes bust.

What sickens me is the likes of multi-billionaire corporate companies like SKY who would willingly stand by and watch Super League disappear. OK, they have kept the game going for twenty-four years but look what they've had in return. To finance the cost of survival of Super League would be the equivalent to the likes of me and thee losing a pound coin out of our pockets.
It's the same with Barnsley FC. Their American /Chinese multi-billionaire owners have stated that they will not dip into their pockets to save the Club going under.

It makes you feel sick

Still the only weapon that the working man has got, PT.

In the main I agree with you but equally Sky would say they have given the game millions the people running the game over the years have done very little to support the game wider than Sky. They have taken large salaries and delivered little in return so a good proportion of the game being so fragile lies with the SL and the EFL.

Only if everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet RC, I’m afraid the majority are happy to keep their mouths shut and keep nodding their heads. I keep going on about my experience, I’ve done what I thought was right and still do, but since then with the public opinion at the time from all the other industry’s, they fight their own battles like sadly we had to unfortunately.

Sorry to say you're right in what you say BLM. There was a time when you didn't have to all sing from the same hymn sheet. Decisions were based on the majority vote. I think they called it democracy.

Not at all. Employment law is much better than it used to be. If you have a contract you don't need to strike. The law is on your side.

This isn't the time to strike. It's a time to unite.The current problems have not come from mismanagement, greed or deception. We have to accept this year for what it is. A global pandemic not seen in anybody's lifetimes that will cause a global recession.

Clubs have taken financial hits, owners have, sponsors and fans have. I'm afraid players should too.

I'm absolutely certain if a player went privately to Michael and said they are really, really struggling he'd work something out. There's a difference though between (A) having to change your lifestyle for a short while and (B) struggling to pay the bills. Only B would require help!

Like for many people in this pandemic, it's take a deep breath, tighten the belt buckles, change routines and get through it the best you can. Go again next year.

Going on strike is also very complicated as the dispute must be with your own employer which makes it difficult to plan industrial action in industries where groups of workers, have different employers like Rugby League. So if one at Wakefield, two at Hull, five at Leeds etc want to strike it will prove tough.

Imagine trying to fight to save your club going under, pay the bills, worry about fans who've lost out, resolve players financial disputes, deal with sponsors who are struggling, plan COVID return to work, plan recruitment for 2021, deal with the delay in stadium planning amongst many other things... Oh and have a family life.