TORONTO – Canadian Football League players have rejected the new collective bargaining agreement with the league, the players’ union confirmed in a memo to its members Monday night.
The league and the CFL Players’ Association reached a tentative agreement last week.
“There is currently not enough support from CFLPA membership to ratify the CFL’s recent offer,” the memo said. “The CFLPA has advised the league that a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) can be reached if the league is willing to quickly resolve the outstanding issues.
“In reviewing and discussing the bid, all CFLPA members have asserted to the negotiating committee that while many components of the current bid are consistent with the direction set by the membership, critical issues remain that must be resolved in order to achieve them.” achieve a fair deal.”
The tentative agreement was reached last Wednesday, four days after players from seven of the league’s nine teams went on strike. It was the second walkout in league history and the first since 1974.
The CFLPA Executive Committee recommended that players accept the deal, which included an increase in players’ salary cap and minimum salary (from $65,000 to $75,000 by 2027). It also included a revenue-sharing formula for the union.
While the agreement included a return to padded drills — one hour a week during the regular season to a maximum of 12 — it extended medical coverage for retired players from three to five years.
The deal also called for increasing the required number of Canadian starters from seven to eight, but that would include one nationalized Canadian — an American who has either spent five years in the CFL or at least three years on the same team. Additionally, three other nationalized Canadians were able to play up to 49% of all snaps on either side of the ball.
These changes bothered many Canadian players and raised concerns that the deal would not be ratified.
The regular season is scheduled to begin on June 9th.
“The entire CFLPA membership has expressed a strong desire to reach a fair settlement as soon as possible so players can work and fans and partners can bet again to celebrate the game,” the union statement said. Memo. “In doing so, the CFLPA Negotiating Committee has already informed the CFL which items within the package need further negotiation in order to satisfy members and move discussions forward as efficiently as possible.”
