Judge Orders NFL, Players to Try Mediation Again

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The federal judge handling the lawsuit against the NFL ordered the sides to participate in court-supervised mediation, while saying Monday she still is considering whether to grant the players' request for a preliminary injunction to lift the lockout.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson said formal mediation will begin Thursday before Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan at his office in a Minneapolis courthouse. He will meet with representatives of the players Tuesday, then representatives of the NFL on Wednesday.

The sides tried mediation before, negotiating for 16 days in Washington with Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service director George Cohen. But those talks broke off March 11, allowing the old collective bargaining agreement to expire.

The NFL Players Association dissolved that day, saying it no longer would represent players in bargaining under labor law. That allowed players - including MVP quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning - to file a class-action antitrust suit against the league in federal court. The owners then locked out the players, creating the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987.

Read more: http://sports.excite.com/news/04112011/v6463.html

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Who negotiates on the behalf of a dissolved union?

:shrug:

[cstanleytech]

2. I assume the same attorneys

who filed the lawsuit or someone they appoint or that the players appoint and really it just makes sense for the judge to order them to try once more in order to try and avoid getting the courts involved if at all possible imo atleast.

[zbdent]

3. um ...

so, the owners will be able to accept either the "last, best offer" from the union, or the "last, best offer" from the owners?

Just waiting for the anti-union bills to pile up enough that it would affect the NFL ...