Australian Cricketers' Association chief Alistair Nicholson is disappointed Cricket Australia has threatened players to accept the governing body's proposed remuneration overhaul.
The response from the ACA came on Sunday, a day after a report said CA boss James Sutherland threatened that players wouldn't be paid beyond June 30 unless they agreed to the proposal.
According to Fairfax Media, Sutherland on Friday sent an explosive email to Nicholson which he forwarded to players around Australia.
"Clearly, we are disappointed that CA are threatening the players," Nicholson said in a statement.
"It's also a window into the nature of CA's behaviour in these negotiations so far.
"There is incoherence and aggression in what we have experienced at the negotiating table from CA.
"This has further been demonstrated this week with some top players being offered multi-years deals one day only to now be threatened the next.
"However, despite these threats, the players affirm their offer to participate in independent mediation."
Test stars Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins responded to the article on social media.
"Makes for an interesting men's and women's ashes ... #fairshare," Starc tweeted.
"Players are staying strong #fairshare," Cummins said.
Former Australian captain and current Cricket Australia board member Mark Taylor wasn't surprised with Sutherland's stance.
"Things haven't been going anywhere for months now and I know that Cricket Australia feel the ACA aren't negotiating at all," Taylor told the Nine Network on Sunday.
"Cricket Australia want to change the MOU (memorandum of understanding), we want to get away from what they call a revenue sharing model ... although, the one being offered to the players is still revenue sharing to a certain extent.
"No-one's worse off. Women are going to be very well paid under the new model."
The email casts doubt on what team Australia could field after June 30, with a two-Test series scheduled in August in Bangladesh, before this summer's home Ashes.
Sutherland has not been involved in the pay talks but has written: "CA is not contemplating alternative contracting arrangements to pay players beyond 30 June if their contracts have expired.
"In the absence of the ACA negotiating a new MOU, players with contracts expiring in 2016-17 will not have contracts for 2017-18 ... that players with existing multi-year state or Big Bash contracts would be required to play in 2017-18 even if a new pay deal is not struck; and that if a new MOU was not agreed ..."
The ACA on Friday had moved to enter mediation with CA over the matter.
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