Hunter Feels Vote Will Back Union

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

January 4, 1999 / 7:52 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

With no one saying if it will be a secret ballot or a show of hands, locked-out NBA players started arriving in town Tuesday to cast votes that could determine if there will be a season.

Wednesday's vote comes on the eve of the possible cancellation of the rest of the season. The balloting will be open to all NBA players, although the union emphasized it is not a ratification vote.

Instead, players will be asked whether they support the union negotiating committee's recommendation to reject the owners' final offer.

"We're going to put it to the test," union president Patrick Ewing said, "but we're going to make sure they stand by their negotiating committee."

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More than 200 players are expected to vote. A final decision on the balloting rules won't come until Wednesday morning, and union attorney Jeffrey Kessler said the particulars will not be made public.

The possibilities range from a secret ballot, with players privately voting their consciences, to a show of hands in a closed room where the peer pressure to vote in support of the committee would be overwhelming.

"I don't think the players will have any concern about the legitimacy of votes, and I don't think anybody will be coerced," Kessler said. "Everyone will have a chance to vote their conscience."

If the players vote to support the committee's recommendation, the union would then ask the commissioner and the owners to resume collective bargaining negotiations and try to hammer out a compromise agreement to save what's left of the season.

If the players reject the committee's recommendation, the union would be expected to put the owners' final offer to an actual ratification vote.

"We're expecting them to vote in support of the position promoted by the negotiating committee," nion director Billy Hunter said. "We called the vote because everyone suggested we call a vote. We want to get it out there and get it over with because we think the message that we have to send to the owners is that our players are still unified."

About 400 players are eligible for the vote, which is scheduled for the afternoon. Players have been calling publicly for a vote on the owners' offer, although Hunter has said 80 to 85 percent of the players support the union's position.

"It sounds to us more like a bargaining tactic than an example of union democracy," NBA chief legal counsel Jeffrey Mishkin said.

One who won't be voting is Rony Seikaly of the New Jersey Nets, who feels the players should leave the decision in the hands of the negotiating committee.

Union president Patrick Ewing (left) and union executive director Billy Hunter on Monday's Larry King Live to announce Wednesday's player vote. (AP)

"I think the owners' way of stonewalling us has worked," Seikaly said. "Players are starting to panic. The union is somewhat breaking because of all this. I thought we were going to be together, but I'm not sure if we are anymore."

The owners' final offer was presented to the union by commissioner David Stern in Denver 1½ weeks ago. Stern has been pushing for a player vote ever since, and the union finally agreed to one after the owners' negotiating committee voted 9-0 Monday to reject the union's final offer.

That gave the union only 36 hours to set up a full membership meeting.

"Who's going to fly to New York on two days' notice after a blizzard?" Keith Askins of the Miami Heat told the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel . "This isn't a vote. This is out of control. A vote is when you go to the federal building and cast your ballot. This is wrong. I feel ashamed to be part of this."

Some players seemed to think they were coming to New York for an actual ratification vote, and all of them were aware the season might not be salvaged.

"We trust those guys; they've done a good job," said Avery Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs. "But there comes a time when you have to make yourself heard, whether by voice or by ink. The question is whether or not we can live with a deal."

Both sides will have their full negotiating committees in town by Wednesday night, and the league's Board of Governors has scheduled a meeting for 11 a.m. Thursday. Stern and deputy commissioner Russ Granik have said they will recommend canceling the rest of the season if no deal has been reached.

If an agreement somehow is finalized, a season of 45 to 50 games would begin somtime around the first week of February.

"At least now we'll know what every single player in the league is thinking," said Chris Antsey of the Dallas Mavericks. "I guess then hopefully we'll get a season under way by means of a vote. If not, that means the majority of the players don't want to play."

"It just doesn't make any sense why we're not playing," Mavericks guard Hubert Davis said. "I've talked to a lot of NBA guys, and a lot of guys said they'll take (the offer). Hopefully everyone will wake up and see how lucky we are and get back on the court."

The lockout, in effect since July 1, has caused the NBA to miss games because of a labor dispute for the first time in its history. So far, the first three months of the season have been scrapped and players have lost about $500 million in salaries.

If the board of governors votes to cancel the rest of the season, the NBA will become the first major professional sports league to lose an entire season to a labor dispute.

"I wouldn't blame the fans if they didn't come back," said Jeff Hornacek of the Utah Jazz, who does not plan to vote and is in favor of accepting the owners' final offer. "Neither side is coming out of this thing looking good."