CFL, CFL Players' Association reach tentative collective agreement
The second strike in CFL history is over.
The CFL confirmed Wednesday night that it and the CFL Players' Association reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement. The league didn't immediately offer any details but two sources told The Canadian Press the deal was for seven years.
The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity as neither the league nor union immediately provided specific details.
The contract must still be ratified by both the CFL board of governors as well as the CFLPA membership but the expectation is players will report to their teams Thursday and go through a walkthrough.
But in a memo to its membership, the CFLPA said the strike is over.
"We will inform the league that we have approved a Memorandum of Agreement and that we have ended our strike," the union said. "We believe the clubs will want to start training camp soon and players should expect to hear from them.
"This agreement is subject to membership ratification over the next few days where we will conduct meetings with each team to explain the bargaining package and answer questions."
A source said one team, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, was scheduled to have a players' meeting later Wednesday night to discuss the contract.
"Twitter be breaking news about your job before you even know or vote lol wild," Hamilton receiver Bralon Addison tweeted.
Later, Ticats linebacker Simoni Lawrence posted a video of himself walking down a hallway, tweeting, "Me reporting back to camp at 11:11 (p.m. ET)."
The exhibition season is scheduled to begin Monday night between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders. A CFL official said the league will announce its plans for that contest Thursday amid reports it will be rescheduled.
Stampeder quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell
One of the sources added the agreement can be opened for renegotiation once the league signs a new broadcast deal. The CFL's agreement with TSN reportedly expires in five years.
However, the source added the agreement gives the CFLPA a share of all revenues and also includes minimum salary-cap increases annually. As well, veteran players will have the ability to negotiate guaranteed contracts, something the CFL had initially turned down earlier in negotiations.
Teams now will be able to start eight Canadians but one will be a naturalized Canadian, an American with at least five years of CFL experience or three with the same team. There were reports that there'll be 12 padded practices for teams this year but players will also receive more long-term health coverage (five years by the third year of the contract) in return.
And the new deal is set to expire at least 30 days prior to the start of training camp rather than the day before like the past agreement did.
The new contract comes four days after players with seven of the league's nine teams opted against the start of training camp hours after the previous agreement expired.
Talks between the league and union broke off Saturday.
The previous deal, originally signed in 2019 and amended for a shortened '21 campaign, expired at midnight ET on Saturday, putting the players on the seven squads in a legal strike position at 12:01 a.m. ET on Sunday.
Players with the Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders both reported to camp because they weren't in a legal strike position, according to provincial labour laws.
But the tentative agreement comes just before the Elks and Stampeders players would've been in a legal strike position. On Wednesday, the CFL confirmed the players in Alberta would've been eligible to walk off the job at 2:25 p.m. ET on Thursday.
CFL players have gone on strike once, in 1974, but the situation was settled before the start of the regular season.
The regular season kicks off June 9 with the Montreal Alouettes in Calgary to face the Stampeders.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 18, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
'It’s discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.