There could be labour strife looming on the horizon for the CFL.
Two league sources requesting anonymity told The Canadian Press on Thursday the CFL Players' Association is visiting with teams talking about of a potential lockout as the two sides head into the off-season looking to secure a new collective bargaining agreement.
The present deal expires the day before the start of training in 2010. Preliminary talks have begun between the two sides, with real negotiations expected to heat up over the winter. However, one source said negotiations aren't going well and if the CFL and the CFLPA can't reach an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement before camp and league holds the right to lock its players out.
"Hence the lockout talk," one of the sources said.
And that's a huge surprise, considering negotiations between the CFL and its players have traditionally been tough yet cordial, with both sides intent on reaching an agreement to maintain labour peace. And in years when the two couldn't get a deal done before the expiration of the old one, they've simply gone by the terms of the old CBA until a new one was reached.
A clean labour record has long been a source of pride for the CFL at a time when other professional leagues have had to cancel entire seasons and championships due to stalled contract talks.
Then again, keeping games on the field is of vital importance for the CFL, given its teams draw a big chunk of their operating revenue from ticket sales. The league, simply put, can't afford to alienate its fans.
Even with that in mind, both sources said they expects talks between the CFL and its players to be very heated this time around.
And Toronto Argonauts linebacker Kevin Eiben, for one, says the uncertainty is something that will play on his mind.
"Of course," he said. "We've got to take care of the players.
"That's the reason the CFL exists, because of the players. The players must stick together and we'll get a nice little contract put together."
The sources said two of the more contentious issues on the bargaining table are daily work hours and reducing the number of Canadian-born players teams must play.
Currently, CFL teams have their players for 4 1/2 hours a day. They must cram meetings, practices and film study during that time, creating challenges for coaches to work on new wrinkles, let on implementing weekly game plans.
In fact, many CFL coaches told The Canadian Press recently that the limited workday was a reason why the Wildcat formation, which has taken the NFL by storm the past year, has been slow to catch on in Canada. Coaches simply don't have enough time to introduce it properly to players and work on it in practice.
After years of coaching in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans and having players in the facility for 8-to-10 hours a day, Toronto Argonauts first-year head Bart Andrus said adjusting to the 4 1/2-hour CFL work day was challenging.
"It's a huge challenge, it really is, because you want to be as detailed as you can, you want to have time for extra walk-throughs and meetings and film study particularly," Andrus said. "The one thing we don't get because of that time limitation is more film study with the players.
"They take the video home with them on DVD. That's something that's real difficult, it really is."
According to the sources, the CFL would like its players to be available to teams for six hours a day. But the sources say a significantly more sensitive issue is the league proposing the number of Canadians teams must start be slashed from seven to four.
"I could see that being a major issue," said a CFL player who requested anonymity. "The numbers are low as it is."
Canadian content has been a bone of contention this season in the CFL as many teams have scrambled to find capable Canadians to replace non-imports who have been hurt. That has prompted suggestions that teams be able to have one less Canadian on their roster who's replaced by an extra American.
Currently, CFL teams must carry 20 Canadians, 19 Americans and three quarterbacks (Canadian or American) on their 42-man active rosters but only start seven a minimum of Canucks, or non-imports
Trouble is, the sources says the CFL hasn't offered anything in return, at least not as of yet. One starting point could be boosting the $41,000 minimum salary and-or increasing the $4.2-million salary cap, with the CFLPA being able to point to 2006 when the league negotiated a five-year television deal with TSN reportedly worth $45 million.
Officials from either the CFL or CFL Players' Association weren't available for comment. The two sides have agreed to keep details surrounding contract talks in-house.
Other issues expected to be on the table include drug testing and procedures teams must follow in order to place players on the nine-game injured list.