Three Canadian Football League teams canceled the start of their training camp on Sunday after the league and the players ’association could not agree on the terms of a new collective agreement.
The Montreal Alouettes, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts have all canceled practices as a curtain racer at CFL camps. Other teams may follow.
Alouettes players who did not want to be confined to their residence in Trois-Rivières went to the field to disassemble their legs and make passes. However, they did not wear shirts for training, and were not accompanied by coaches or staff.
We have no league agreement. We are here, we want to move. We don’t want to stay in idle accommodation so for us to be prepared when it starts, whether it will be in a day or a week, we don’t know. said Christian Matte, offensive lineman assigned as the players ’spokesman.
He clarified that this is not an official training, but an initiative of the players to come together.
About 20 fans hoping to attend the start of the training camp ran into a locked fence and did not reach the stands. Matte also took the time to explain the situation to them.
We want to play football, the fans want us to play football and the league wants us to play football! So hopefully this will happen soon. […] It’s embarrassing to always be at the last second. I’ve been in the league for a long time. I’m not surprised, but disappointed that it couldn’t be fixed before now. We are eager to start, but it should be good for everyone said Matte.
The Ambrosie Circuit and the players ’union broke talks to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement on Saturday.
This should be something fair for the players and for the league Matte mentions.
The final agreement, which expired in 2019 and was amended last year to allow the CFL to feature a shortened season of 14 games, expired at midnight Saturday.
The AJLCF invited players from seven of the nine CFL teams to participate in the walkout at 12:01 am Eastern Time.
Under Alberta labor laws, players from the Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders will report to their respective camps, which will put them in a position to legally strike later this month.
The only other strike in CFL history took place in 1974. The issues, however, were fixed before the campaign began that year.
It is unclear when the two sides will return to the negotiating table.
Roberte
Source: Radio-Canada
