Union: NFL owners want lockout

[Omaha Steve]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4793411

By Chris Mortensen
ESPN

Rookie wage cap, blood testing, benefit cuts, a nearly 20 percent "giveback" and a work stoppage were prominent in a recent communication that NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith sent to player representatives in describing a bleak labor negotiation picture.

In an e-mail obtained last week by ESPN, Smith wrote to player reps: "We proposed to address the rookie issue with a 'Proven Performance' plan that would redirect $200 million from rookie cost to veterans, cap rookies to three-year contracts so 'busts' were out of the league quickly, and provided incentives to lowest spending teams to remain competitive by forcing money back to the vets on those teams."

Union sources believe the likelihood of a rookie hard cap being in place by 2011 is remote because, as Smith inferred again, management is preparing for a lockout that season.

However, a management source said that owners are considering making a proposal that would make a rookie cap effective immediately, in April, as an addendum to the current labor agreement, even if the two sides fail to reach agreement on an extension. The source said management would like to discuss redistributing the $200 million in rookie savings in 2010 to endow a fund for NFL retired players.

The two sides are scheduled to have an eighth negotiating session on Tuesday.

Sources also said that the union has calculated that owners spent just 51 percent of revenues on player costs in 2009, in spite of the belief that they are mandated to spend almost 60 percent. One union source said the 60 percent player costs were a "best-case" assumption that teams would spend almost equally under the salary cap.

FULL story at link.

[msongs]

1. the tribulations of the millionaire classes. how sad nt

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. Millionaires squabbling

Whatever the result of the negotiations between the owners and the players, I hope the cities that have NFL teams are not soaked for tax money to cover new stadiums and the like. Here in Indy, we have paid quite a bit to have the luxury of the Colts playing here. Or, not playing as in last weeks disgraceful lay down to the Jets.

[Bitwit1234]

3. Isn't it odd that all this try at Union busting is coming under democrat

rule in congress. Wonder why.