"If we don't see some relations restored pretty quickly, then I can see the players potentially being balloted to see whether they would consider strike action."
Sunday 14 June 2020 19:37, UK
One of the country's leading sports lawyers says Premiership players could go on strike if the current pay dispute cannot be resolved.
Richard Cramer, who is a lawyer with the Football Association and acts as an agent in rugby union, rugby league and cricket, believes strike action would be a last resort but warned tensions are running high between clubs and players.
Premiership clubs are asking players to sign new contracts which include 25 per cent pay cuts by next weekend, but that's been unanimously rejected by the Rugby Players' Association (RPA), with Harlequins prop and RPA chairman Mark Lambert refusing to rule out the possibility of a strike.
"There is no legal obligation for the player to accept any form of pay cut or variation, and the clubs know that," Cramer told Sky Sports News.
"The inducement at the moment to accept a pay cut on a permanent basis is to incentivise players with improved contracts, not necessarily on the dollar but in terms of the period of the contract.
"There are hints that a strike might be a last-resort option. I suspect it's probably a lot of sabre-ratting at the moment.
"I don't believe for one moment it would suit players to even think about striking but ultimately, if the war deteriorates, and clearly tensions are running high at the moment…
"If we don't see some relations restored pretty quickly, then I can see the players potentially being balloted to see whether they would consider strike action."
The majority of Premiership players took a temporary 25 per cent pay cut in March to help ease the burden caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but attempts in May to make the reduction permanent were blocked.
Harlequins prop and RPA chairman Mark Lambert refused to rule out the possibility of a strike because of the salary cap reduction, and claimed some players are being forced into signing contracts against their will, prior to a league deadline next week.
