More training camp practices cancelled as CFL strike continues

CFL and CFL Players Association continue to cool down.

After negotiations ended on Saturday, just hours before the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement, both sides had not rescheduled their contract talks Monday. This put seven players from the nine league teams in a legal strike situation at 12:01 AM. ET on Sunday.

The Calgary Stampeders as well as the Edmonton Elks opened their training camps on Sunday. According to Alberta’s labour laws their players won’t be in a legal striking position until late this week.

The Montreal Alouettes announced Sunday night that all training camp practices would be suspended until further notice. Monday’s announcement was followed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

CFLPA announced Monday evening that Hamilton Tiger-Cats player will join forces outside Tim Hortons Field. The union invites fans to “stand together in solidarity to demand that the Canadian Football League gets back at the table.” saidThe announcement.

Canadian ratio

The Canadian ratio appears to be a major sticking point in negotiations.

CFL proposes that an American football player who has been in the league at least 4 years or played for the same team at least 3 years would become a nationalized American and count as Canadian.

Every CFL roster would have at most seven national starters. At least six of these could be Canadian, while the seventh could either be a nationalized American or another Canadian.

The last collective bargaining agreement, which ended at midnight ET Saturday, required 21 Canadians to be on a roster. At least seven of them were starters.

The silver lining is that CBA talks are still in flux because a mediator was involved with the previous negotiations. Following a sufficient cooling-off period, someone familiar to both parties can attempt to get them talking again.

This is only the second time that the CFL has been on strike. The first strike occurred in 1974 at training camp, but was resolved before the season began.

CFL’s exhibition season will begin on May 23 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders.