Professional Hockey Players' Association

Infobox Union|
name= PHPA
country= Canada, United States
affiliation=
members= 1,400
full_name= Professional Hockey Players' Association
native_name=


founded=1967
current=
head= Larry Landon
dissolved_date=
dissolved_state=
merged_into=
office= St. Catharines, Ontario
people=
website= [http://www.phpa.com www.phpa.com]
footnotes= The Professional Hockey Players' Association, or PHPA, is the labor union that represents the interests of hockey players in the American Hockey League and ECHL. Established in 1967, the PHPA is considered one of the oldest players' unions in professional sports. In fact, hockey is the only professional sport with a minor league players’ union. Recognized by the US National Labor Relations Board as the bargaining unit for all members enrolled in the Association, the main function of the PHPA is to negotiate and protect various player benefits by way of a Collective Bargaining Agreement.

History

The Association was founded in 1967, in Portland, Oregon, when members of the Portland Buckaroos of the now defunct WHL recognized that Canadians playing in the United States who were starting families, had to send their wives home to Canada in order to give birth to their babies as there was no health plan (medicare) in the United States to cover the medical expenses.

Led by Doug Messier and legal Counsel, Curt W. Leichner, WHL players formed to take advantage of group pension and healthcare plans, gaining better benefits through strength in numbers.

In 1968, players from the American Hockey League (AHL) saw the benefits of forming a Players’ Association, and joined the WHL, enabling the PHPA to represent all professional hockey outside of the NHL.

When the WHL disbanded in 1974, the Central Hockey League (CHL) soon thereafter joined the Association and became a Member League until 1984. In 1985, the International Hockey League (IHL) joined the Association until it disbanded in 2001. In 1993, Larry Landon was elected as the new Executive Director, replacing Curt Leichner, and moved the PHPA office to St.Catharines, Ontario.

In 1995, the ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) joined the Association and remains as a Member League. Currently, the PHPA represents approximately 1,400 Players on 54 teams between teams in the AHL and ECHL, located throughout North America. The AHL and ECHL are the premier player development leagues for the National Hockey League.

Organization

The PHPA’s management is lead by Executive Director, Larry Landon, who heads an Executive Committee of player representatives from both the AHL and ECHL respectively. For each 5 teams in a League, one player representative may be added to the Executive Committee. The Committee assists the Executive Director in providing direction and oversight in dealing with various matter of importance to the Association and its Membership, including budgetary matters, player issues, strategic planning, and other business affairs.

External links

* [http://www.phpa.com Professional Hockey Players' Association]
* [http://www.theahl.com American Hockey League]
* [http://www.echl.com ECHL]