NFL & NFLPA agree to Fed mediation

[PATSNUTme]

I don't know if this is good news or bad news.

NFL, players' union agree to mediation for labor negotiations - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

 

[PatsDeb]

As an attorney, I always think mediation is good if you have a good mediator who can point out the weaknesses in both sides' cases and make people take a good look at what they can live with at the end of the day.

 

[PrairiePat]

This isn't in any way binding, is it? Just a "let's get someone impartial in the room" type of thing?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

This isn't in any way binding, is it? Just a "let's get someone impartial in the room" type of thing?

Quoth the article:

Meditation is not binding, FMCS public affairs director John Arnold said in a telephone interview.

 

[signbabybrady]

 

[Fanfrom1960]

I don't know if this is good news or bad news.

NFL, players' union agree to mediation for labor negotiations - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

Hope it's good, but your sig picture kinda creeps me out. :biggrin2:

 

[Jackson 2]

It's much more good news, rather than bad. It guarantees nothing, but it surely doesn't hurt. Of course, now comes the "any time government gets involved it's bad" avalanche, but that really isn't consistent with the history of federal mediation.

 

[ferdi1704]

As an attorney, I always think mediation is good if you have a good mediator who can point out the weaknesses in both sides' cases and make people take a good look at what they can live with at the end of the day.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

As an attorney, I always think mediation is good if you have a good mediator who can point out the weaknesses in both sides' cases and make people take a good look at what they can live with at the end of the day.

Anything that gets things jumpstarted is good IMO. Id hate to see them wait til Sept 1st to hammer out a deal.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Surprised this thread hasn't gotten more hits as this seems to be an important turn of events. If it means that they were so far apart that both sides said it would be a good idea to get a third party in the room, then that suggests all the happy talk from the league and the players was a lot of hot air.

I think it's interesting but inconclusive that most of the positive reaction seems to be coming from the players' side. More power to the players for getting the owners to agree to this, if that is how it went down.

The mediation isn't binding, but, at the end of the day, an unbiased mediator can point out where s/he thinks one side or the other isn't being reasonable.

 

[jeffd]

I think its a bad sign meaning they are WAY OFF and no where near agreement, but at the same time a good sign that they are trying to find a way to bridge that wide gap.

 

[patfanken]

This is great news. Both sides get to make their current best case offer and the mediator shows them where they are FOS. It focuses the combatants on areas of agreement; then lets both of them know what each group's legitimate points are.

Bogus offers, like the "union's" well take 50% of the total revenue (bogus because that's what they get now) will be ignored and the substantive issues will be addressed. Best of all the media will be in the dark for the entire week.

I don't know if they will come out of the mediation with an agreement, but they SHOULD at least leave it with a framework of the conflicting issues and a consensus of what they DO agree on.

 

[Tunescribe]

As an attorney, I always think mediation is good if you have a good mediator who can point out the weaknesses in both sides' cases and make people take a good look at what they can live with at the end of the day.

Does this mean the owners will end up firing Goodell? Hope so.:singing:

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Surprised this thread hasn't gotten more hits as this seems to be an important turn of events. If it means that they were so far apart that both sides said it would be a good idea to get a third party in the room, then that suggests all the happy talk from the league and the players was a lot of hot air.

I think it's interesting but inconclusive that most of the positive reaction seems to be coming from the players' side. More power to the players for getting the owners to agree to this, if that is how it went down.

The mediation isn't binding, but, at the end of the day, an unbiased mediator can point out where s/he thinks one side or the other isn't being reasonable.

From what I understand this was the mediators idea. He approached both sides AFTER the NFL filed a grievance this week asking the NLRB to rule that the union cannot opt to decertify on March 3 to avoid a lockout because they have not made any effort to bargain in good faith to date and have planned all along to use decertification as a means to circumvent the process.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

From what I understand this was the mediators idea. He approached both sides AFTER the NFL filed a grievance this week asking the NLRB to rule that the union cannot opt to decertify on March 3 to avoid a lockout because they have not made any effort to bargain in good faith to date and have planned all along to use decertification as a means to circumvent the process.

interesting. thanks. none of this looks good as far as i can see.

 

[TrueBeliever]

At first I didn't like the idea of it being non-binding, but after further review it's understandable. Agreeing to binding arbitration right up front could be the equivalent of signing a blank check.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

At first I didn't like the idea of it being non-binding, but after further review it's understandable. Agreeing to binding arbitration right up front could be the equivalent of signing a blank check.

Mediation is never binding. It's like counseling... Arbitration is a whole other kettle of fish.

 

[TrueBeliever]

Mediation is never binding. It's like counseling... Arbitration is a whole other kettle of fish.

I see. So is arbitration what baseball players and teams do? If that's binding, that was probably what I was thinking of.

 

[Ron Sellers]

I see. So is arbitration what baseball players and teams do? If that's binding, that was probably what I was thinking of.

Yes, typically arbitration is binding (though there is non-binding arbitration too); think of it as an alternative to going to court. What a mediator does is try to get the two sides to agree to a compromise, or at the very least get negotiations started and create a more civil tone to those talks.



Today's news:

NFL, players' union hold first session with federal mediator - NFL - Sporting News

Neither side commented and the session lasted two hours. The mediator has worked in professional sports negotiations before:

Cohen was involved in Major League Soccer's negotiations with its players' union last year, when a possible work stoppage was avoided. Cohen also has worked with the players' associations for Major League Baseball, helping end the 1994-95 strike as a consulting attorney, and the NBA, and was an advisor to the NHL players' union before joining the FMCS.