Talks Break Down

Labour talks between the Canadian Football League and the CFL Players' Association broke down Thursday after the league reviewed a new proposal from the players and then left the meeting.
However, a CFLPA source told TSN that players will be told to attend training camp this weekend "in good faith" until the union reviews all its options.
CFLPA executive members Brian Ramsay of the Edmonton Eskimos and Jeff Keeping of the Toronto Argonauts confirmed they will report when training camps open.
CFL commissioner Mark Cohon then released the following statement: "This afternoon, the Canadian Football League has sent its best offer for a new collective bargaining agreement directly to the players. Unfortunately, this best offer was rejected by the CFLPA executive committee this morning. We strongly believe it is a fair and equitable agreement for both parties. We want football. We want our season to start on time. But not at the cost of the unrealistic proposal put forward by the CFLPA. We do hope the CFLPA executive committee will put this offer to CFL players for a vote."
CFLPA president Scott Flory also issued a statement that addressed financial, health and safety as well as option year concerns expressed by the league. "We have just presented to the PRC an offer in the hopes of getting a deal done today. We feel as though we have listened and addressed all of their issues. We eagerly await the response of the PRC."
Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end Ricky Foley showed his disappointment at the latest developments on Twitter on Thursday.
"The amount of compromise the players are making right now in meetings is not being matched by the owners...Fans need 2know this #Riders... The owners main issue was they didn't want Revenue Sharing...We have agreed 4the good of the league to essentially take it off the table... If owners would just compromise as much from their 1st offer as the players have done this morning in meetings a deal would be done #Riders"
With the current CBA set to expire at midnight Thursday, the league and players met amongst themselves, in different meeting rooms, starting at 9am et and came together shortly after 11:30am et along with a mediator.
They parted 25 minutes later. Quick comments from both sides have only been possible as members of both groups move between meeting rooms.


(Canadian Press)