Super League players union in crisis as key man leaves with funding pulled

The union which has represented British rugby league players for several years has had its funding suddenly pulled by Rugby League Cares: leaving its lead figure without a job and players without proper representation.

The Rugby League Players Association is a branch of the high-profile union group GMB, and has represented players in a number of cases including the Toronto Wolfpack pay scandal.

They helped those players recoup thousands of pounds in unpaid salaries and helped negotiate a complex pay situation during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Its lead representative was former Great Britain international Garreth Carvell, and his role was funded by the six-figure sum Rugby League Cares receives from the Rugby Football League every year.

However, it is understood that Carvell and the RLPA have had their funding cancelled with immediate effect during the midst of another player crisis at Salford Red Devils, meaning Carvell is effectively unemployed, and the RLPA are powerless and now in effect dormant.

The Red Devils’ players have been paid late on several occasions this season but there is now effectively no union to help support them, with the responsibility now falling on the shoulders of RL Cares, a charity organisation.

But several players at Salford have privately indicated concerns that there is now no real representation for them at a time when the Red Devils continue to face grave uncertainty.

RL Cares took to social media this week to explain what it had done to help Salford’s players but as they are not an official union, they have no power to take on a club or a governing body such as the RFL like the GMB can.

And while the RLPA did not have the standing or membership numbers like its equivalent in the NRL, it was well-placed to represent players in times of need. Carvell and the RLPA had been working with Salford and the RFL as far back as March this year to ensure players were paid what they were owed in full.

But the onus for a new union may now have to fall on the shoulders of the players or a new entity, with the RLPA without funding, and Carvell left looking for a role outside of rugby league.

The GMB’s lead on rugby league, Pete Davies, told Love Rugby League: “I am sure Rugby League Cares do some sterling work within the rugby league community but policing players’ employment disputes is not a simple welfare matter.

“It’s the be all and end game because when clubs fail to pay players, their families face immediate crisis and no amount of kind words will pay their bills.

“Our rep had a strong voice within the game and was working with the governing body on many issues including Salford. Rugby League Cares pulled the funding for this post smack bang in the middle of yet another pay crisis that has hit the sport.

“They did this whilst making up other ‘player ambassador roles’ that achieve nothing and they have, in my opinion, played their part in exasperating this crisis.

“We even had a welfare officer at the club, supported by RL Cares, telling Garreth that the non-payment of players was not a union issue. That is appalling and shows that there is a strategy at play to block our RLPA branch from reaching out to help.

“Key players, ambassadors and leaders within the sport, including those within RL Cares, should be making sure we are engaging these players and given every opportunity to bring our legal expertise and muscle into this club crisis because have no doubt, it takes a strong trade union challenge to get those unpaid wages into those players pockets.

“It’s what we have and continue to do for the members who were left high and dry at Toronto.

“It pains me to say it but I see no value at all that the RFL are getting for their £300,000-plus that they give to this charity and it’s time the players branch got this resource and control, perhaps then we would have a decent trade union branch benevolent fund as well as the legal muscle and voice to stop wage theft within the sport.”

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