FanPost

Collective Bargaining Agreement, NFLPA's stance = Lockout

NFLPA  executivedirector DeMaurice Smith is turning the CBA negotiations into a political minefield. Our beloved game is being turned into politics right before our eyes. Speaking with Shan Shariff on KCSP-AM Smith made the following remarks:

We went to the owners, and they raised the issue about the rookie wage scale," Smith said. "We said, 'Fine, let's cut every rookie's contract to three years, instead of six years.' That would pull $200 million out of the draft. We proposed giving $100 million to retired players to improve their pensions, and we said, 'Use the other $100 million and guarantee it to veteran players in the locker room.' The owners said no, that they weren't willing to guarantee that money to proven veterans in the locker room."


     http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d817f4261&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

 

Now if you read the statement no hard cap was offered just a shorter term contract and he wanted to dictate how the money pulled out of the draft  should be spent, knowing full well that money would be spent on the remaining three years of the contract. This is a crazy proposal and one not benefitting the veterans but maintaining the huge salaries of the agents on draft day, and not bargaining in good faith

This is not my beef, my beef is he went on radio and discussed his proposal. As a former Teamster Steward and contract negotiator I know the one thing you don't do is discuss the negotiations with anyone outside the negotiatiating committee not even union membership until it is brought before them for a vote Mr. Smith seems to be playing politics by taking this to public airwaves and clearly a breach of ethics. I think he has political motives behind these actions wanting a lockout and then petitioning a congressional committee to get involved. It looks bad for the near future of our beloved game.  What are your thoughts on this? 

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