CPBL and Players Association sign historical agreement

CPBL and Players Association sign historical agreement
28/02/2022
Pictured: CPBL Commissioner Chi-Chang Tsai (Left) and TPBPA Acting President Chieh-Hsien Chen (Right)

After a lengthy negotiation that lasted four years and two commissioners, the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) and the Taiwan Professional Baseball Players Association (TPBPA) announced the signing of the first-ever labour agreement of its kind in the field of all sports in Taiwan.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Department Head of Employment Relations of the Ministry of Labour.

The historical document, called Responsibilities and Obligations of CPBL Players Participating in International Games, lays out the detailed procedures for the League to field a team to participate in international tournaments. The agreement also details compensation packages, royalties, licensing, and insurance coverages for participating players.

According to TPBPA, negotiations started in 2017, when former CPBL Commissioner John Wu was in office before both sides sat down together for the first time in 2018. The agreement was reached after 11 sessions spanning almost four seasons.

CPBL Commissioner Chi-Chang Tsai called it “a historical moment" and added: "I would like to express my appreciation to former Commissioner John Wu for his effort.”

“Everybody believes that our athletes are on a mission. They are supposed to bear responsibilities and endure sacrifices but who is there to look after their interests? We thought we had to commit to this,” Tsai said.

TBPA's newly appointed President Chieh-Hsien Chen (Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions) also mentioned the importance of this first-ever agreement in the industry, “I also look forward to having a positive interaction with the league in the future as we are ready to start more conversations regarding issues such as transactions, image rights, uniform contracts, and arbitration.”

Former Players Association President Szu-Chi Chou (CTBC Brothers), who represented the players in most negotiation sessions, became the newly founded Veterans Committee chairman. The current agreement is valid for three years. According to TPBPA, 85% of CPBL players are members of the union.

TPBPA was first founded in 1995 but stopped functioning after just two seasons. In 2008 the Players Association resumed operations under the leadership of current Weichuan Dragons manager Chun-Chang Yeh. CPBL, inaugurated in 1990 as the premier baseball league in Taiwan, is an Associated Member of the World Baseball Softball Confederation.