NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Pash, the league's chief negotiator on the labor talks, spoke with the media following today's mediated talks outside the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service offices.
"We just finished another full day with the mediator and the Players Association and we’ll be back tomorrow morning to continue these negotiations," said Pash. "I think you know the discussions are getting into the most significant issues and so these are the most serious discussions that we’re going to be having and we’re looking forward to getting back to it for another full day of work and we’ll stay at it and hopefully make some progress on this."
Per the instructions of federal mediator George Cohen, who has presided over these mediated sessions, Pash declined to go into detail on the specific issues during the talks, but did address the issue of financial transparency and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith's request for more financial data before the players cut a $5 billion check to the league.
"Well, no one is asking anyone to write any checks, I think we’ve been quite clear on that. I know what his words are; I’m just saying no one’s asking the Players Association or individual players to write any checks," said Pash.
"It is a fact that the Players Association, in the course of these negotiations, has received more and more detailed financial information than it has ever had before. Has it gotten everything it wants? Evidently not. Have we offered to provide more? Absolutely. And is it a subject that we’re prepared to discuss? Absolutely. Where we are right now, it remains a fact that indisputably so that the Players Association has received more and more detailed financial information than in any prior negotiation."
With the possibly seemingly increasing that the union would decertify and take the league to court, Pash spoke to the league's desire to talk and negotiate towards a new agreement, instead of going the litigation route.
"There are serious issues; the differences are significant – no one should be misled on that," Pash said. "But we’re here, we believe in this process. I’ve said that many, many times. We believe in collective bargaining. It is an institution that is under attack all over this country. But it is the best means of preserving industrial peace that human beings have ever found. And we believe in it and we want to engage in it.
"There may be those who don’t want to engage in it, who prefer litigation, who prefer other gambles – that’s not where we are. We’re here to talk, we’re here to negotiate, not to file lawsuits."
Talks are scheduled to continue on Thursday.
source: Mac's Football Blog
Posted by Brian McIntyre
No comments:
Post a Comment