CFL strike ends as tentative agreement reached

The second strike in CFL historical past is over.

The CFL confirmed Wednesday night time that it and the CFL Gamers’ Affiliation reached a tentative collective bargaining settlement. The league did not instantly provide any particulars however two sources informed The Canadian Press the deal was for seven years.

The sources spoke on the situation of anonymity as neither the league nor union instantly offered particular particulars.

The contract should nonetheless be ratified by each the CFL board of governors in addition to the CFLPA membership however the expectation is gamers will report back to their groups Thursday and undergo a walkthrough.

However in a memo to its membership, the CFLPA stated the strike is over.

“We’ll inform the league that we have now accepted a Memorandum of Settlement and that we have now ended our strike,” the union stated. “We consider the golf equipment will wish to begin coaching camp quickly and gamers ought to count on to listen to from them.

“This settlement is topic to membership ratification over the subsequent few days the place we’ll conduct conferences with every staff to elucidate the bargaining package deal and reply questions.”

A supply stated one staff, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, was scheduled to have a gamers’ assembly later Wednesday night time to debate the contract.

“Twitter be breaking information about your job earlier than you even know or vote lol wild,” Hamilton receiver Bralon Addison tweeted.

Later, Ticats linebacker Simoni Lawrence posted a video of himself strolling down a hallway, tweeting, “Me reporting again to camp at 11:11 (p.m. ET).”

The exhibition season is scheduled to start Monday night time between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders. A CFL official stated the league will announce its plans for that contest Thursday amid studies will probably be rescheduled.

Stampeder quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell

One of many sources added the settlement may be opened for renegotiation as soon as the league indicators a brand new broadcast deal. The CFL’s settlement with TSN reportedly expires in 5 years.

Nevertheless, the supply added the settlement offers the CFLPA a share of all revenues and in addition consists of minimal salary-cap will increase yearly. As nicely, veteran gamers may have the flexibility to barter assured contracts, one thing the CFL had initially turned down earlier in negotiations.

Groups now will have the ability to begin eight Canadians however one will probably be a naturalized Canadian, an American with a minimum of 5 years of CFL expertise or three with the identical staff. There have been studies that there will be 12 padded practices for groups this yr however gamers can even obtain extra long-term well being protection (5 years by the third yr of the contract) in return.

And the brand new deal is ready to run out a minimum of 30 days previous to the beginning of coaching camp quite than the day earlier than just like the previous settlement did.

The brand new contract comes 4 days after gamers with seven of the league’s 9 groups opted in opposition to the beginning of coaching camp hours after the earlier settlement expired.

Talks between the league and union broke off Saturday.

The earlier deal, initially signed in 2019 and amended for a shortened ’21 marketing campaign, expired at midnight ET on Saturday, placing the gamers on the seven squads in a authorized strike place at 12:01 a.m. ET on Sunday.

Gamers with the Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders each reported to camp as a result of they weren’t in a authorized strike place, in line with provincial labour legal guidelines.

However the tentative settlement comes simply earlier than the Elks and Stampeders gamers would’ve been in a authorized strike place. On Wednesday, the CFL confirmed the gamers in Alberta would’ve been eligible to stroll off the job at 2:25 p.m. ET on Thursday.

CFL gamers have gone on strike as soon as, in 1974, however the scenario was settled earlier than the beginning of the common season.

The common season kicks off June 9 with the Montreal Alouettes in Calgary to face the Stampeders.

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Might 18, 2022.