Sadness besieged the NBA world today when the players decided to reject the owners’ latest proposal and file a disclaimer of interest. This file will essentially eliminate the union from negotiations and will cause labor talks to be held in a court room.
Here’s what people around the situation had to say and their best guess as to what will happen to the 2011-12 NBA season:
Adrian Wojnarowski: The lawyers will file suit within next two days. No need to wait on decertification. Union is disbanded immediately.
Frank Isola: Bottom line is NBA owners and players should have had serious negotiating sessions back in July. Now both sides are headed to court.
Kurt Helin: Goodbye NBA season.
Ken Berger: Keep in mind, though: Any effort to jump in and out of union status would be frowned on by courts. Once you disclaim, it sticks.
Marc Stein: Nobody blameless here. Stern squeezed & squeezed harder than had to. But even he asked: WHY didn’t union do this in July when it had time?
Howard Beck: The chances of an NBA season seem very, very dim right now.
Chris Mannix: I still believe if offer was put to a rank-and-file vote, it would be shot down. Diverse cross section of players in union meeting today.
David Aldridge: Decertification would take up to 45 days-the time allowed before employees are required to vote-and would require NLRB blessing…
