NHL orders pay cuts, four-day work-week for employees

New York, NY, United States (4E Sports) – The NHL will implement an across-the-board 20-percent pay cut and a four-day work-week for all of its employees in the aftermath of the lockout that began last weekend.

According to multiple sources by ESPN.com, office staffers were already informed that the pay cut and four-day work-week will begin Oct. 1.

The salary cut stemmed from the league’s third work stoppage since the 1994-95 season after the league and players union failed to come up with a new collective bargaining agreement.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman ordered the lockout after he was authorized by the league’s board to do so if no labor deal was reached by Sept. 15.

In a radio interview, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said that both he and Bettman would forego their entire salaries during the lockout.

Daly and NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr had several informal discussions since the lockout but no formal meetings have been scheduled.

The league and the players are divided in the issue of hockey-related revenue. The NHL is willing to give 43 percent but players want more cut from the billion-dollar earnings of the league.

Several players, led by New Jersey Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk, have opted to play overseas during the lockout.

Kovalchuk has decided to play for SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League starting Sept. 23.

Aside from Kovalchuk, Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin and Ottawa Senators defenseman Sergei Gonchar signed with KHL’s Metallurg even before the lockout was formally announced Saturday.

Meanwhile, New York Islanders defenseman Mark Streit is headed to his native Switzerland to play with his hometown team in Bern.

Kovalchuk and other NHL stars have signed a deal with an opt-out clause, which allows them to return home once the lockout ends.

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