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NFLPA memo condemns league’s unilateral moves
After sending a scathing memo on league procedures Thursday, the NFL Players Association is awaiting “some response and responsibility” from the NFL, union sources confirmed for The Sports Xchange.
Citing the NFL’s “mismanagement” of critical incidents, the union memo sent to all players implores them to “confront the NFL’s lack of honesty and failure to comply with the (collective bargaining agreement).”
There was no immediate response from the league, and news of the memo was not reported on NFL.com.
At issue is the union’s contention that the league made unilateral changes in the personal conduct policy in violation of the 2011 collective bargaining agreement. The key figures in the issue are the headline-grabbing situations surrounding former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
The union’s letter insists the league has “inconsistencies that have led to the lack of credibility and damage to our brand” and that commissioner Roger Goodell and his assigns should not be able to make policy changes without the involvement of the NFLPA.
In part, the memo says:
“This union is always disappointed with player misconduct, but from our conversations with our sponsors and licensees, it is clear that the current crisis of confidence is a direct result of the NFL’s mismanagement of those incidents.
“The process for players under the personal conduct policy has to be transparent, fair and firm. Instead, in the span of less than 60 days, we have witnessed panic and inconsistency by the NFL and Clubs on how players are treated.
“We have experienced a refusal by the NFL to honor an agreement for Adrian Peterson and an introduction of a new process for Adrian that is inconsistent with the existing policies already in place. If a full and fair hearing before a neutral arbitrator is good enough for Ray Rice, it should be good enough for every NFL player.”
In August, Goodell announced the league would have more severe penalties for players involved in domestic violence. That announcement came after the league initially suspended Rice for two games following the running back’s arrest on a charge of punching his then-fiancee at a casino. Months later, when a video emerged, showing more of the incident, Goodell increased Rice’s penalty to an indefinite suspension, the Ravens cut Rice, and the NFL’s minimum sentence for domestic violence was increased to six games.
Shortly after that announcement, Peterson was accused of abusing his 4-year old son by disciplining him with a wooden switch. The league put Peterson on the commissioner’s exempt list, which was essentially suspension with pay, where he has been for eight games.
Last week, Peterson pleaded no contest to a reduced misdemeanor charge, which voided the felony child abuse charge he was facing in Texas. The NFLPA filed a grievance to get Peterson taken off the commissioner’s exempt list and immediately reinstated to the Vikings’ roster.
The result is the league scheduling a hearing for Monday, according to media reports. Peterson could be on the field as early as the Vikings’ rematch with the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 23.
The union’s memo contends the league has not complied with “due diligence and due process” in these personal conduct cases and accuses the NFL of not honoring an agreement in Peterson’s case.
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