Insider Talk: CFLPA says nay to Monday’s tentative CBA

Photo courtesy: CFL

Insider Talk is a weekly feature on 3DownNation that includes anonymous quotes from people around the CFL — players, coaches, personnel people, executives, agents, etc. — regarding the latest news around the league. It’s a combination of insight, analysis, rumours, and friendly gossip.

This week’s Insider Talk is full of discussion regarding the CFLPA’s rejection of a tentative collective bargaining agreement with the CFL, the possibility of a ratification bonus helping the league’s new proposal being accepted, the unlikelihood of another player strike, and possible changes to the ratio.

Enjoy this week’s quotes and come back next week for another edition of Insider Talk.

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Not including a ratification bonus was the biggest reason the tentative CBA got rejected (by the players on Monday). I think this new proposal will pass now that one’s included.

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I can’t imagine being on the CFLPA’s bargaining committee right now. They told the players they had a great deal and their teammates voted it down by a pretty wide margin. That’s humiliating, but they also can’t resign because that would likely restart the negotiating whole process. What a mess. If it were me, I’d have a hard time lining up next to some of my teammates after this. I don’t envy those guys.

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I don’t think the players could be on strike right now even if they wanted to (after rejecting the tentative CBA on Monday). Edmonton and Calgary still wouldn’t be in position for a work stoppage.

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There are lots of players who will never vote in favour of any collective bargaining agreement that proposes any type of change to the ratio. Ever.

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I’m really glad this 49 percent ratio thing seems to be gone (in CBA negotiations). How the hell do you keep track of it? We’d have to have one one of our staffers track it all game, which is a waste of their time. And what about the officials? How would they track that while focusing on the game? It’d be ridiculous.

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Giving veterans the option of signing partially guaranteed contracts is a step in the right direction but teams still have to agree to them. Remember when the teams agreed to spend to the cap floor instead of the cap ceiling (in 2021)? Well, what happens if all the teams agree not to sign any guaranteed deals for the next seven years?

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It sure would be nice if I got a vote on the CBA. I’m not a player but my livelihood depends on games happening, just like hundreds of other people around this league who nobody seems to care about right now.

John Hodge
John Hodge is a Canadian football reporter based in Winnipeg.