Labour: League seeks settlement prior to 2010 campaign

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THE CANADIAN PRESS

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Bryan Crawford is betting he and other CFL players will be playing football next summer.

Crawford, the Toronto Argonauts player-union representative, said Friday he doesn't believe he and other players will be locked out as a result of negotiations between the league and CFL Players' Association on a new collective bargaining agreement.

The present deal expires the day before the start of training camps in June. On Thursday, two CFL sources requesting anonymity told The Canadian Press that the CFLPA is visiting the respective teams advising its membership of the possibility of a lockout.

"We'll be playing in the CFL," Crawford said. "That's my opinion.

"I can't predict how negotiations are going to go. I can only say that during any type of labour negotiation there are challenges. But I think both sides have the best interests at heart and we're going to go forward in a manner that is appropriate."

CFL commissioner Mark Cohon issued a statement Friday saying the league is seeking a negotiated labour settlement that's fair to all parties.

"We are now in the midst of the collective bargaining process," said Cohon. "It would be inappropriate to comment further on that process, except to say that our goal is a negotiated settlement that's in the best interests of our fans, our players, our member clubs, and our league."

The sources said two big issues will be the number of hours CFL players spend at their team facilities during the season - presently it's 4 1/2 hours a day - and reducing the number of Canadians clubs must start.

The league reportedly wants the players' workday to be six hours and cut the minimum of non-import starters from seven to four.

"Everything is negotiable," Crawford said. "That's something we've left up to our executive committee going forward to discuss and work on.

"I think that (reducing Canadian starters) is an issue that all of a sudden has become very prominent in the media. It's not something that's a huge issue for us going forward. It's something we're addressing, it's something our executive is addressing along with a large number of other issues."

The CFL has enjoyed labour peace for decades, with there being only one players' strike in its history. That came in 1969 when the Toronto Argonauts players walked out of training camp to protest Canadians not being paid during camp and for exhibition games. The matter was ultimately resolved with the Argos missing no regular-season contests.

Meanwhile, Gene Makowsky has played for a Grey Cup winner, received four league all-star nods and twice been named the CFL's top lineman. But today, the 15-year veteran offensive lineman can register a career first.

Saskatchewan hosts the Calgary Stampeders at Mosaic Stadium (TSN, 8 p.m. AT) to decide first place in the West Division. The Riders haven't finished atop the conference standings since 1976, a 33-year drought, and the contest is being billed as one of the biggest regular-season games to be played in Regina.

"All home games against western opponents are big, but there's a lot more on the line for this one," said the six-foot-three, 290-pound Makowsky, a Saskatoon native. "Its not an elimination game, but it's one that we want to win because we want to get that bye and be one step closer to a Grey Cup."

Saskatchewan (9-7-1) would move into a first-place tie with Calgary (10-6-1) with a victory but finish ahead based on winning the season series. What's more, top spot would also earn the Riders the right to host the conference final Nov. 22.