NEW YORK, May 24 (UPI) -- The NBA players' union has filed an unfair labor practices complaint against the league and is asking for an injunction that would prevent an owners' lockout.
In a complaint filed Tuesday with the National Labor Relations Board, the National Basketball Players Association accused the league of bad faith in negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement.
The union said the league is "making harsh, inflexible and grossly regressive 'takeaway' demands that the NBA knows are not acceptable to the union."
The current contract between the players and the league expires June 30 and the NBPA claims the owners have threatened a lockout if their demands for a reported 40 percent rollback in existing contracts over three years and a hard salary cap aren't met.
"There is no merit to the charge filed today by the Players Association with the National Labor Relations Board, as we have complied -- and will continue to comply -- with all of our obligations under the federal labor laws," the NBA said in response to the filing.
Team owners contend they expect to lose $300 million this season and say they need a completely restructured compensation system and a bigger piece of the financial pie.
