NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen sent an email to his membership this evening that as of now they do not have a deal on a new CBA with the owners. Further, he says that the NFL insisting that the players must re-certify as a union as a condition of the deal may be in violation of federal law.
Here is exactly what Berthelsen wrote to the players this evening.
“In addition to depriving the players of the time needed to consider forming a union and making needed changes to the old agreement, this proposed procedure would in my view also violate federal labor laws. Those laws prohibit employers from coercing their employees into forming a union, and could result in any agreement reached through the procedure being declared null and void.”
The players reportedly want the owners to lift the lockout once the players agree to the deal, but give them time to re-form their union. As of now, the owners will not start a new leauge year until the players re-certify their union. The players do not want to be rushed.