Australian Cricketers' Association

The Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) is an organisation that represents the professional first-class cricketers of Australia, both past and present. It is not a formally registered Trade Union, but an Incorporated Association. In 2005, the ACA established a commercial arm known as "PLAYERS OWN".

The ACA states that its objectives are:

• Executive – the executive consists of seven past and present players who are responsible for the following activities: setting the organisation's objectives; defining policy and strategy; interpreting both cricket and corporate culture; interpreting the opinions and thoughts of the members; appointing and reviewing the organisation's CEO; maintaining the financial well-being; communicating with the members; liaising with administrative bodies such as Cricket Australia and the various state associations.

• Staff – the ACA has seven employees, whose major tasks include: working with Cricket Australia to further the sport; providing career and welfare opportunities, and looking after the rights of both past and present players; providing social opportunities for past and present cricketers; pursuing initiatives that benefit members.

The ACA was formally incorporated in February 1997, and four months later appointed Sports and Entertainment Limited as bargaining agents. The original CEO was Tim May. All Australian first-class cricketers then signed an “Instrument to appoint a Bargaining Agent”, which was filed with the ACB and the state associations. This meant that the ACA was attempting to create a workplace agreement, in accordance with the Australian government's prevailing industrial relations law.

In October 1997, the ACA presented an initial proposal to the ACB, which was rejected outright, thus creating a stalemate between the two parties. During the next twelve months, regular meetings between the two bodies led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the period 1 July 1998 to 30 June 2001. This covered matters such as the establishment of standard contracts for all state players and an agreed method of remunerating all first-class cricketers in Australia. The current MOU between the two organisations ends in 2009.

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