According to a source, the Canadian Football League players have rejected the employment contract which was agreed last week.
Posted yesterday at 8:59 p.m.
According to this source, the players spoke out against the tentative agreement that had been in place since Wednesday between the circuit and the players’ union.
The source spoke on condition of anonymity as neither the league nor the Players Association confirmed the outcome of the ratification vote immediately.
The two teams reached a tentative seven-year deal Wednesday, four days after players from seven of the nine teams went on strike.
It was only the second work stoppage in league history and the first since 1974.
The deal includes increases to the CFL’s salary cap ($100,000 per year starting next year) and minimum wage (from $65,000 to $75,000 by 2027).
It also includes a revenue-sharing formula for players and gives them the option of having the last year of their contracts guaranteed up to 50%.
The agreement calls for a return to training with protection and extends medical coverage for retired players to five years, up from three.
The deal also sees the number of Canadian starters increase from seven to eight, but that would include a nationalized Canadian — an American who has spent five years in the CFL or at least three with the same team.
In addition, three other nationalized Canadians could play up to 49% of the games, in attack or defense.
There are four preseason games scheduled for Friday and Saturday, including Montreal at Hamilton on Saturday night.
The regular season is scheduled to start on June 9.
It is unclear whether the players will return to strike or be locked out, or whether they will continue training in concert with further talks.
It’s also unclear if the outcome of the vote will bring about any changes to the players’ union bargaining team.