NFL.com: League, players union agree to 7-day CBA extension

[eldfan]

NFL.com: League, players union agree to 7-day CBA extension
10:54 AMYahoo! BuzzShare
By Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY



Recommend WASHINGTON -- After a one-day truce, the NFL and the NFL Players' Association agreed to extend the current collective bargaining agreement for one week and continue labor negotiations before a federal mediator, according to NFL.com.

The two sides have been in federally mediated talks for almost two weeks and appeared headed for a lockout -- and the decertification of the NFLPA -- before they agreed a 24-hour extension yesterday. The CBA between owners and players was due to expire at midnight as Thursday turned into Friday, but they reached the short extension about six hours before the deadline.

Talks are expected to resume on Monday at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service headquarters in Washington. If there isn't a third extension or a new CBA isn't negotiated by March 11, the NFL could lock out the players. The union, though, has the option to decertify as collective bargaining agent for the players and take the dispute into federal court.

According to NFL.com, the union was prepared to begin and finish the decertification process today if the league didn't agree to a 10-day extension of talks with FMCS director George H. Cohen. The two sides appear to have compromised on a seven-day extension.

The extension does not change anything with transactions, as there will continue to be a freeze on all NFL roster moves until there is a new CBA.

Contributing: Arin Karimian

[r8rh8rmike]

Hopefully, the fact that both sides are agreeing to continued extensions is a good sign. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. The off-season is already painfully long and I can't even imagine having to endure any type of extended delay. I hope these guys are thinking long and hard about the ramifications of infuriating and alienating an already edgy public.