CFL first talks on contracts ‘productive’

TORON TO • For Jeff Keeping and the CFL Players’ Association, it was a good opening day.

The players and CFL held their first collective bargaining session Monday. The two sides are scheduled to meet again Tuesday.

“It was productive,” said Keeping, CFLPA president. “This was more about introducing the two groups and laying the groundwork.”

The present agreement is scheduled to expire in May before training camps. That leaves roughly two months to reach a deal.

“Yeah, we have enough time,” Keeping said. “We just need to get the groups together and keep working.”

Senior adviser Ken Georgetti and executive-director Brian Ramsay led the union into Monday’s talks as chair and vice-chair, respectively. Keeping, second vice-president Solomon Elimimian, third vice-president Rolly Lumbala, treasurer Peter Dyakowski and player reps John Bowman (Montreal), Bear Woods (Toronto) and Chad Rempel (Winnipeg) rounded out the CFLPA’S unit.

Ramsay said it’s important active players be involved in bargaining. “This is an agreement that’s a players’ agreement,” he said. “The more players are a part of that, I think that’s a better thing.”

The CFL’S team is again led by Stephen Shamie, league general counsel. Commissioner Randy Ambrosie is expected to participate in the opening sessions.

Rounding out the league’s committee are: Scott Mitchell (CEO, Hamilton TigerCats); Roger Greenberg (coowner, Ottawa Redblacks); Rick Lelacheur (B.C. Lions president) and Wade Miller (Winnipeg Blue Bombers president/ceo).