NBA Files Unfair Labor Practices Lawsuit Against It’s Players

The NBA and it’s Player’s Association aren’t wasting anytime pulling out the big guns in their labor dispute. The NBA announced that it it has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board along with the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in New York.

The NBA is responding to recent threats by the players’ union that they felt were hampering negotiations or, basically trying to avoid the players flying an Anti-Trust lawsuit. Similar to what happened with the NFL players and their owners. Keep in mind, the NBA players union is repped by Jeffrey Kessler who also represented the NFL players in their recent labor dispute.

In a statement released by the NBA,  Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Adam Silver said,“these claims were filed in an effort to eliminate the use of impermissible pressure tactics by the union which are impeding the parties’ ability to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement,”

The move also allowed the NBA to select a court that they felt the have the best chance to win. This suit could’ve been filed anywhere in the U.S. It’s the opposite of what we witnessed with the NFL. The owners want to take it directly to court.

NBPA executive director Billy Hunter, in a statement released by the union, said the players will seek to dismiss the lawsuit, which he called “totally without merit.”

“We urge the NBA to engage with us at the bargaining table and to use more productively the short time we have left before the 2011-12 season is seriously jeopardized.”

Save my season.