Boycott of Bangladesh tour looms, but there's one bit of good news in the pay dispute

Australian cricket’s pay saga continues to bubble but progress has been made in the warring parties’ push for greater gender equality.

AAP understands the controversial pregnancy clause that derailed pay talks some seven months ago was changed for the short-term deals that ensured Australia’s participation in the just-completed women’s World Cup.

Cricket Australia (CA) has removed the antiquated reference that demanded cricketers declare they are not pregnant.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has confirmed to AAP its investigation into the matter that made headlines last summer remains ongoing.

CA still requires players to notify a medical officer if they become pregnant as soon as reasonably practicable, deeming it necessary to ensure the safety of players and unborn babies.

The legality of that demand is one of many issues that has been discussed in a women’s contract working group that was set up shortly after the clause first triggered a heated public spat between CA and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA).

Representatives from CA and the ACA are working hard, under the guidance of legal and medical experts plus officials from the Fair Work Ombudsman and Safe Work Australia, to ensure the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is both momentous and just.

Talks are ongoing regarding maternity leave, female players’ high-performance environment and other conditions. State female players will join male colleagues in being able to sign multi-year contracts under the new agreement.

The governing body and players’ union both want women to be included on the same MoU as men for the first time.

It is why they both didn’t wish to extend the previous MoU for 12 months, something many former male players have proposed as a stop-gap solution to the impasse.

There is clear common ground but also plenty of disagreement.

The union is furious CA will not backpay unemployed domestic female players, who earned an average $22,000 per year last season. Many have accessed ACA hardship funds this month to help pay for essentials.

CA argues it offered significant pay rises to those players and are unimpressed the ACA won’t use an adjustment ledger from the previous MoU to fund female pay rises.

The ACA’s initial submission to players last December raised concerns about a number of “outdated at best and rather condescending” issues affecting female cricketers.

CA chief executive James Sutherland was furious about the ensuing firestorm and claims of discrimination, suggesting the pregnancy clause was misrepresented by the union and put players in an unfair position. Pay talks were postponed.

The men’s tour of Bangladesh is the next major deadline in the pay stoush, with Steve Smith’s side reaffirming on Monday they won’t fly out on August 18 unless there is an agreement in place.

The women’s Ashes start in Brisbane on October 22.