NFL Players Seek Court Injunction to Lockout

NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are asking a federal ruling to end the NFL’s lockout of NFL players, says the Boston Globe.

“By disclaiming their union, the players have given up the right to strike, to collectively bargain, to have union representation in grievances, to have union representation in benefits determinations, and to have union regulation of agents…The players have sacrificed these labor law rights for one reason: to gain the ability to assert antitrust claims against anticompetitive restrictions imposed by the defendants,” the player’s lawyers said when the NFL players Association decided to decertify, according to Bloomberg

On its end, NFL lawyers said that the owners have the right to lockout the players and no court can stop it. Only the National Labor Relations Board has the authority.

If the injunction isn’t granted at the April 6 planned antitrust law hearing in St. Paul, Minnesota, the players will continue to suffer by not getting paid, not being allowed to practice, and not having access to a free market, reports the Washington Post.

The NFL is still planning to hold its annual draft at the end of the month, per a provision which allows it to go on despite the lockout. NFL players thought about putting together an alternative draft event at the same time, but decided against it and planned instead to have a draft event on the evening of April 28 before the actual NFL draft is set to take place, adds the Post.

“NFLPA is not asking players or agents to boycott the NFL draft,” said George Atallah of the dissolved NFLPA, adding that they are leaving the decision to attend the draft in Radio City Music Hall in New York, up to the college players and their families.

Several retired NFL players have also decided to join the lawsuit against the NFL and want a class-action status granted to all former players, says the National Football Post.

“For the sake of judicial economy, it would help to streamline things to make sure you get all parties involved at the same table at the same hearing at the same time. If we can’t get that, we want to give the retired players a voice.”

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