Federal mediator appointed over CBA talks

[Jackofalltrades]

Dude has zero authority, but I hope he can expedite things.

I really don't see this helping much, if at all.

[pantherfan81]

The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to seven straight days of negotiations, according to a league source.

Per PFT

[Jackofalltrades]

Now that's promising.

[countryboi]

that is promising....maybe the mediator can help them not try to kill each other

[Panthers128]

no rush they've got plenty of time

[TheRealDeal]

Since all of the players are on 'roids the owners will win that fight too.

Yes because a bunch of 70 year old + guys are going to be packing more heat than Jon Beason, no homo of course

[riddel]

The offer to mediate had been made by the FMCS before. Both sides essentially said they wouldn't resort to that approach unless they were at a complete impasse.

Fill in the blank... :(

Exactly. In order for both parties to show good faith, once an impasse occurs, mediation is the next step. Arbitration may follow, but none of this means that either side is going to budge. It's just the next step in the process when two parties can't reach and agreement. If the two parties simply stopped meeting and trying to reach a CBA, then they would be guilty of not bargaining in good faith.

Hope it helps, but I believe the parties are way too far apart at this point and the leverage pendulum hasn't started to swing yet, so the players would basically have to give the owners what they want if they reach an agreement right now.

[SCP]

You ever see that Dennis Leary movie The Ref?

J Rich and DeMo are gonna drive Cohen crazy.

[Highlandfire]

Per Mark Maske (Washington Post) via Gantt, George H Cohen, a federal mediator who previously settled a CBA issue for Major League Soccer.

He also wrote "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (or was that the other guy?) :sosp:

The story is here (link)

Damn good move.