CFL to table new offer to the players

The CFL and CFL Players’ Association will at least have a starting point Wednesday when they resume contract talks.

According to league sources, the CFL will table a new offer to the union Wednesday morning. It will be the first meeting between the two sides since Thursday when the CFLPA rejected a league proposal for a 10-year deal with no salary-cap increases that also eliminated the Canadian ratio.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity as neither the union nor league divulged specific details surrounding the offer.

But time is of the essence as the current collective bargaining agreement is slated to expire Saturday.

CFL training camps are scheduled to open Sunday with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders on May 23 in the first exhibition game.

Both Brian Ramsay, the CFLPA executive director, and union president Solomon Elimimian said Friday players won’t report to camp without a new agreement in place.