Anyways, there are some interesting developments these past few days on the union side:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdo ... nfl-268770
Video: Saints and Vikings players show union solidarity
By Chris Chase
Minutes before the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings kicked off the 2010 NFL season, players from both teams stepped on the field and raised one finger into the air in a show of union solidarity.
The move was a public message to owners that players are united in negotiations for the upcoming collective bargaining agreement, which threatens to derail the 2011 season.
(Click link above to watch video and finish story)
Interesting display that has been met with a fair amount of criticism by commentors (especially on PFT) complaining that is was a display of spoiled selfishness on the players behalf. I personally disagree with that sentiment and find it surprising that these fans would side with management so overwhelmingly. But that's a conversation for another time, perhaps. What would be interesting is if the Packers/Eagles display the same solidarity at game time tomorrow.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5558815
Sources: New Orleans Saints vote unanimously to decertify NFLPA
The New Orleans Saints voted 59-0 to authorize the National Football League Players Association to decertify as a union if collective bargaining talks should eventually reach an impasse, according to union and player sources.
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith asked the Saints to vote on the strategic procedure when he met with the team in New Orleans. The Saints voted on the issue Monday.
The union will send a memo to its approximately 1,900 members Monday to inform them of the strategy that is being described as a housekeeping step.
Contacted Saturday afternoon by ESPN, Smith downplayed the importance of the Saints' vote and the anticipation that all 32 teams will eventually take the same action.
"To be dead honest, it's purely procedural and I believe it's a non-story until March," Smith said. "It preserves the best options to protect players in the event there's no deal in place when the CBA expires next March. Instead of scrambling at the 11th hour to get all our players' signatures [for decertification], we'll have everything in order. Our hope is that it's not necessary."
A union source said NFLPA officials are scheduled to meet with three or four teams this week, including the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins.
The union expects to complete the process with all 32 teams by Thanksgiving.
Under decertification guidelines established by the National Labor Relations Board, the union would no longer be able to represent the players in collective bargaining.
It is an action the union took that enabled individual players to seek antitrust lawsuits against the NFL and eventually provided the leverage that led to a new era of free agency in 1993.
On the NFL players association website in 2008, NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen warned of the potential union action to prevent the NFL from locking out players in 2011.
"The NFLPA would sooner go out of business as a union," Berthelsen said. "This is not just a threat, it's a reality because we did it once before."
Interesting strategy. It was certainly helpful in 1993, and could be a compelling reason for both sides to come to an agreement to avoid costly litigation.