http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/cflpa-preparing-for-potential-labour-stoppage/

 

"Believing they have reached an impasse after four months of negotiations with the Canadian Football League, the CFL Players’ Association is recommending its membership proceed with a strike vote, Sportsnet has learned.

The collective bargaining agreement between the league and players expires May 30, on the eve of training camp. And while both sides are scheduled to meet this Thursday and Friday in Toronto, documents obtained by Sportsnet indicate the union is readying itself for a potential labour stoppage.

“It is the position of your Negotiating Committee that the position of the CFL in relation to almost all matters and their refusal to have the cap in some way connected to revenue are unreasonable,” reads an internal memo written by CFLPA President Scott Flory and distributed to all CFL players last Friday. “As a result, we are recommending that the Players proceed with a strike vote.”

Flory, who did not immediately respond to Sportsnet’s request for comment, has previously stated that the union will not play the 2014 season under terms of the expiring CBA, while both sides negotiate.

Sources told Sportsnet that when the two sides broke on May 2, the league, which declined comment for this story, said it would return this week with further input from governors/owners on making progress toward a new economic model.

Since talks began in February, the CFLPA has been steadfast in its pursuit of revenue sharing, something that wasn’t included in the 2010 deal but has existed between the league and the CFLPA in the past. The league’s negotiation committee has not budged from its stance of having a fixed cap.

At the centre of the debate is a new television deal, reportedly worth $40 million this coming season. The current deal is worth $15.3 million.

Last season’s salary cap was $4.4 million and proposals obtained by Sportsnet show the CFL has offered the following when it comes to player compensation:

2014 – $4,500,000.00
2015 – $4,600,000.00
2016 – $4,650,000.00
2017 – $4,700,000.00
2018 – $4,750,000.00
2019 – $4,800,000.00
2020 – $4,900,000.00
2021 – $5,000,000.00

There are several other points of contention. The CFLPA has proposed a minimum annual player salary of $55,000—with a 10 percent increase annually. The league countered with a $46,000 minimum, which caps at $49,000 in 2021.

The union has proposed practice roster players make no less than $1,000 a week (or $18,000 per season). The league has countered with $750/week, but to increase the practice roster size to 12, from seven, and implement “two-way” contracts, making it easier for teams to release players.

The union is also pushing for an increase to post-season playoff share, and a hike to the Grey Cup bonus cheque, which the league has refused.

One area the two sides have come to terms on is the increase in roster size–from 42 to 44 on game day. The extra two spots would be occupied by a non-import and one designated import. The reserve list would drop from four per game to two.

The CFL has proposed an eight-year collective bargaining agreement, double the length of the current deal. The union wants the duration to be “subject to negotiation.”

A source tied to the league, speaking on the condition of anonymity, believes the tactic of the league and its governors/owners is patience—the thinking being that the union will eventually give in once the risk of losing pay is a legitimate possibility."

Interesting read from Drew Edwards here http://scratchingpost.thespec.com/2014/05/cflpa-gave-away-the-thing-they-want-most-revenue-sharing.html

 

 

The players deserve more, no question, and more than the league is currently offering. But one gets the sense that the players want revenue sharing because they think they should have revenue sharing — without considering the consequences of that stance or whether it's even necessary.

The CFLPA decided during the last CBA negotiations to take guaranteed increases in the cap over the risk of revenue sharing. Now that there's no risk, they want it back. Beyond the sheer audacity of it, it's also unnecessary: determine the projected revenue, ask for a generous percentage, settle for something slightly less.

The CFLPA also needs to develop a coherent media strategy, and fast. They angered the league by leaking every last detail of the league's offer to the media, then got caught flat-footed when the commissioner Mark Cohon responded by halting negotiations and taking the PR war public.

So the PA wants to give the Bombers and Als etc advice on how better to manage their business?  lol

 

The Bombers can make their debt payments, run their team AND give the players a bunch of new money.  How about the teams should be able to profit?  Maybe the PA should buy the Argos if its so easy to run a profitable franchise.  Then they can pay their players whatever they want.

 

Its always "partnership" talk when the players want to dig into the owner's pockets.  But it's "bad marketing" when the team doesnt make enough to pay the players more.

So the PA wants to give the Bombers and Als etc advice on how better to manage their business?  lol

 

The Bombers can make their debt payments, run their team AND give the players a bunch of new money.  How about the teams should be able to profit?  Maybe the PA should buy the Argos if its so easy to run a profitable franchise.  Then they can pay their players whatever they want.

 

Its always "partnership" talk when the players want to dig into the owner's pockets.  But it's "bad marketing" when the team doesnt make enough to pay the players more.

 

If what the players are trying to sell us is that they want a partnership, then it's perfectly reasonable for them to do everything they can to help the CFL's teams make more money.  It's fully aligned with a revenue-linked cap, and revenue sharing too...

 

Want an interesting cap linkage discussion?   Link it to cash flow after debt service.  In other words, pay the players AFTER the teams pay their mortgage payments.  We'll see if the players really believe the league is so profitable that it can pay them $7MM and force revenue sharing on the teams.

That "statement of facts" the CFLPA released solidifies just how amateur the PA really is....

The CFLPA and their members are very quickly losing ground in this negotiation, and are now getting questioned on many fronts.

The strategy of using players to do interviews and yap on social media was not a good idea.

They better have a good back out strategy and use it quickly to get more gains than what's been offered so far…it's too late for more posturing now.

That "statement of facts" the CFLPA released solidifies just how amateur the PA really is....

It's truly amazing.  It's like they think the fans are completely unfamiliar with the CFL.  Every time Flory speaks he pushes my loyalty further towards the owners.

 

We need to keep in mind that firing coaches and management costs the Bombers money?  Gee, thanks Flory.  So you're suggesting that we should still have Kelly around?  Go shove a pineapple up your arse.

 

That does it.  I honestly truly wanted the players to reap some benefits this time around but I'm done with them.  Flory is an imbecile.  For all I care they can continue to play under the exact same terms as the old CBA.  Screw their raise.  Flory can stop insulting our intelligence.  He can stop trying to carefully shape crap into facts because he's terrible at it.  All he ever needed to say is that many of the players are underpaid for the jobs they do because that's true.  That might be the only true thing that's come out of his mouth in the last month.  Jackass.

I believe Flory is from Saskatchewan, obviously he is not good on numbers.

 

That "statement of facts" the CFLPA released solidifies just how amateur the PA really is....

It's truly amazing.  It's like they think the fans are completely unfamiliar with the CFL.  Every time Flory speaks he pushes my loyalty further towards the owners.

 

We need to keep in mind that firing coaches and management costs the Bombers money?  Gee, thanks Flory.  So you're suggesting that we should still have Kelly around?  Go shove a pineapple up your arse.

 

That does it.  I honestly truly wanted the players to reap some benefits this time around but I'm done with them.  Flory is an imbecile.  For all I care they can continue to play under the exact same terms as the old CBA.  Screw their raise.  Flory can stop insulting our intelligence.  He can stop trying to carefully shape crap into facts because he's terrible at it.  All he ever needed to say is that many of the players are underpaid for the jobs they do because that's true.  That might be the only true thing that's come out of his mouth in the last month.  Jackass.

 

 

I don't think I've grown quite as sour as you... yet.... but I do believe the players deserve a raise... maybe something along the lines of the very fair deal the CFL offered when they went public last week... a bigger initial bump in the cap would be ok too. 

It seems the players want revenue sharing because they see their big brother sports getting revenue sharing so they think they should have it.  And the fact they chose to de-link salaries from revenue when they thought it would benefit them and now want to re-link it because it will benefit them...thats just ridiculous.  Im sure every other sports' PA would have told them during the last negotiations "dont de-link".

 

I hope the CFL stands firm.  If there is a hill to die on, it should be giving the PA the linkage they want.  Dont give that back.  The other sports are cash cows and even then, the linkage was a hinderance because it assumed an average revenue across the board when in fact, a minority of teams spiked the revenue up to an extent that the have-not teams had trouble with the percentage split (we see that in the NHL where some teams cant afford to get to the salary floor, let alone the cap).  In the big sports, they can afford to get away with it or do team revenue sharing.  We cant do that in the CFL.  We could easily have teams on the brink if that was the case.

 

For the CFL, a concrete salary cap makes more sense.  And before this new TV deal, it made sense for the players too.  Now they want their cake and to eat it too.  Too bad. 

 

I also find it difficult to believe the PA can be this stupid.  I realise it's a budget group but is there no players who took communications, labour relations, business admin etc in school who could be providing some advice?  Did they not look at the other sports and see how those PA's handled the media, public and it's policy of communications as far as the players were concerned?  Do some homework.

 

 

That "statement of facts" the CFLPA released solidifies just how amateur the PA really is....

It's truly amazing.  It's like they think the fans are completely unfamiliar with the CFL.  Every time Flory speaks he pushes my loyalty further towards the owners.

 

We need to keep in mind that firing coaches and management costs the Bombers money?  Gee, thanks Flory.  So you're suggesting that we should still have Kelly around?  Go shove a pineapple up your arse.

 

That does it.  I honestly truly wanted the players to reap some benefits this time around but I'm done with them.  Flory is an imbecile.  For all I care they can continue to play under the exact same terms as the old CBA.  Screw their raise.  Flory can stop insulting our intelligence.  He can stop trying to carefully shape crap into facts because he's terrible at it.  All he ever needed to say is that many of the players are underpaid for the jobs they do because that's true.  That might be the only true thing that's come out of his mouth in the last month.  Jackass.

 

 

I don't think I've grown quite as sour as you... yet.... but I do believe the players deserve a raise... maybe something along the lines of the very fair deal the CFL offered when they went public last week... a bigger initial bump in the cap would be ok too. 

 

 

I agree.  And the thing is, since the CFL made that offer, they clearly assumed the PA would then counter it and they'd meet somewhere in the middle.  It wasnt presented as a take it or leave it.  So as reasonable as the offer was, the league was still willing to move a bit.  The reason we dont have a deal right now is because of the PA.  Period.

 

 

 

That "statement of facts" the CFLPA released solidifies just how amateur the PA really is....

It's truly amazing.  It's like they think the fans are completely unfamiliar with the CFL.  Every time Flory speaks he pushes my loyalty further towards the owners.

 

We need to keep in mind that firing coaches and management costs the Bombers money?  Gee, thanks Flory.  So you're suggesting that we should still have Kelly around?  Go shove a pineapple up your arse.

 

That does it.  I honestly truly wanted the players to reap some benefits this time around but I'm done with them.  Flory is an imbecile.  For all I care they can continue to play under the exact same terms as the old CBA.  Screw their raise.  Flory can stop insulting our intelligence.  He can stop trying to carefully shape crap into facts because he's terrible at it.  All he ever needed to say is that many of the players are underpaid for the jobs they do because that's true.  That might be the only true thing that's come out of his mouth in the last month.  Jackass.

 

 

I don't think I've grown quite as sour as you... yet.... but I do believe the players deserve a raise... maybe something along the lines of the very fair deal the CFL offered when they went public last week... a bigger initial bump in the cap would be ok too. 

 

 

I agree.  And the thing is, since the CFL made that offer, they clearly assumed the PA would then counter it and they'd meet somewhere in the middle.  It wasnt presented as a take it or leave it.  So as reasonable as the offer was, the league was still willing to move a bit.  The reason we dont have a deal right now is because of the PA.  Period.

 

That's where they will get to, the last offer from the owners + 5% or so.  It won't happen until the last minute because there is no real incentive for either party to resolve this until the last minute.

 

I really do support the players in the sense that most of them are great guys who live in our community, do lots of charitable work, are down to earth people who take a lot of physical punishment purely for our entertainment.  I think anyone making the CFL minumum deserves more for what they do and everyone who isn't making 6 digits deserves some kind of bump.  BUT the CFLPA has done such a horrible job of presenting it's case and such a fantastic job of shooting itself in the foot and then shoving their bloody footstump in their mouths at every opportunity that I'm entirely done with them.  The first 15 million of the Bomber debt is interest free??  Well go ahead and cover it then Flory if you're so convinced it's chump change.  Jackass.

 

It was so simple.  Demonstrate an awareness that this league has a fragility to it.  Demonstrate an awareness of it's history.  Demonstrate an appreciation for the fans who haven't been passive sports viewers but have been actively trying to keep these teams alive for decades.  Demonstrate a simple awareness that certain owners have eaten losses in the millions for years and years purely for the love of the game.  And continue to point out that there are players who deserve more than what they get for the services they provide.  Point out that the league is now in a position to pay a fairer wage for those players.  They have done almost none of this.  Twitter wars?  Jackass.

 

I'm now thinking of joining twitter just so I can put out #floryisterribleathisjob every few minutes.  The players will need to send a bouquet of apology flowers to Morreale when this is all done.

It seems the players want revenue sharing because they see their big brother sports getting revenue sharing so they think they should have it.  And the fact they chose to de-link salaries from revenue when they thought it would benefit them and now want to re-link it because it will benefit them...thats just ridiculous.  Im sure every other sports' PA would have told them during the last negotiations "dont de-link".

 

I hope the CFL stands firm.  If there is a hill to die on, it should be giving the PA the linkage they want.  Dont give that back.  The other sports are cash cows and even then, the linkage was a hinderance because it assumed an average revenue across the board when in fact, a minority of teams spiked the revenue up to an extent that the have-not teams had trouble with the percentage split (we see that in the NHL where some teams cant afford to get to the salary floor, let alone the cap).  In the big sports, they can afford to get away with it or do team revenue sharing.  We cant do that in the CFL.  We could easily have teams on the brink if that was the case.

 

For the CFL, a concrete salary cap makes more sense.  And before this new TV deal, it made sense for the players too.  Now they want their cake and to eat it too.  Too bad. 

 

I also find it difficult to believe the PA can be this stupid.  I realise it's a budget group but is there no players who took communications, labour relations, business admin etc in school who could be providing some advice?  Did they not look at the other sports and see how those PA's handled the media, public and it's policy of communications as far as the players were concerned?  Do some homework.

Hmm, I have all those things - maybe I should go to work for the PA...

 

First tip I'd have for them - in a league where you have one person propping up 2 of 9 teams and losing millions every year to do it just because he loves the CFL so much, don't try and assert that the owners are greedy.  Not a believable talking point.

And how many teams are community owned?  3?  So you have an 8 team league (until this season) with 3 teams owned by the "community" and 2 teams owned by the same guy who has lost money many times on this and you say the "owners" are greedy?  How much has whatshisname in Hamilton lost?  No owner who puts money into a CFL franchise or cummunity BOD's who work for free and contribute their time and expertise can be called greedy. 

 

I also find it difficult to believe the PA can be this stupid.  I realise it's a budget group but is there no players who took communications, labour relations, business admin etc in school who could be providing some advice?  Did they not look at the other sports and see how those PA's handled the media, public and it's policy of communications as far as the players were concerned?  Do some homework.

 

It was well publicized that Mike Morreale met with Dee Smith (NFLPA) and Don Fehr (NHLPA) on several occasions to get advice on how to handle this negotiation... Maybe he was kicked out for being too smart 

 

And how many teams are community owned?  3?  So you have an 8 team league (until this season) with 3 teams owned by the "community" and 2 teams owned by the same guy who has lost money many times on this and you say the "owners" are greedy?  How much has whatshisname in Hamilton lost?  No owner who puts money into a CFL franchise or cummunity BOD's who work for free and contribute their time and expertise can be called greedy. 

 

 

Bob Young

Young has supposedly lost between $30-50 million. Braley stated only 2 years ago that he's pretty much made his money back on the Lions and once he sells the Lions and Argonauts, he'll be substantially ahead. Just read an article yesterday that brought up how the Alouettes were only bringing in between $12-14 million in revenue 2-3 years ago....... sad if true.

 

The Players deserve more and a lot more than a 10% increase IMO, 35% of the revenue doesn't sound too bad. I wonder what the magic number would be for the league, because obviously the owners deserve to make money as well.

Braley has made money solely on hosting Grey cup games in Toronto and Vancouver not based on attendance in those cities for regular season games.

@garylawless: Have learned from #cfl that commissioner Mark Cohon will sit in on Wednesday's labour talks with #CFLPA. #bn

Cohon apparently very anxious to get this thing going in the right direction, so we'll see if he can at least keep them in the same room together for a period of time. That would be a good start...

Whatever the last day is before the schedule would be affected - that is the day the labour dispute will be resolved.

Interesting day for the Riders to release their financial results.   Report over $10 million in profit.     

The Riders are going to be awash in cash once they open that new building. 

 

Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani 6m

 

From a source close to today's #CFL and CFLPA meetings: "Going better than expected and making progress." But nothing of real substance yet.

things can change but i'm hearing #cfl, #cflpa talks are not ending soon today. progress? not sure. but u need to talk to make a deal

— gary lawless (@garylawless)

May 28, 2014

 

 

word is #cfl in one room working on a proposal or a response while #cflpa are in another doing same. will join up later. could go late

— gary lawless (@garylawless)

May 28, 2014

good news that they are talking and actually negotiating. Let's get a deal done guys.