TheOak

"The NFLRA disputed four main issues it says the NFL has stated publicly:
1) It claimed the NFL's desire to hire three additional crews under the stated goal of providing more rest for referees and more options for the league represents a major reduction in the proposal without also increasing the aggregate compensation allocated among all officials.
2) The NFLRA took issue with the NFL's stance that issues remain in the concept of "full time" officials and additional officials. The NFLRA stated it is not opposed to full-time officials as long as they are compensated fairly, but the NFL has never made a proposal.
3) The NFLRA said the most recent proposal from the league includes "aggregate game fee compensation" increases of 2.82 percent per year, in contrast to the 5-11 percent the NFL has claimed the proposal represents.
4) The NFLRA claims the league's pension plan has been "unchanged during the entire 10 months of negotiations," while the NFL has said its pension plan "has been aggressively fair."
The NFLRA cited the league's increased revenues from $6.5 billion to $9.3 billion during the last contract period in contrast to the NFL providing a "take it or leave it" stand in negotiations the NFLPA claims changes none of the "core economic issues."
As part of the NFLRA's statement Thursday, the union urged for "meaningful negotiations" to take place:"The NFLRA has requested aggregate compensation increases less than what the NFL and NFLRA agreed to in the 2006 CBA agreement and the continuation of the defined benefit pension plan for current officials. At a time when the NFL demands that its officials maintain the highest level of integrity and serve as guardians of the game by impartial enforcement of the rules, the NFLRA believes its professional members are entitled to fair treatment in return."
NFLRA fires back at NFL's public stance - Chicago Tribune

Ill comment in another reply.

lee909

Surely there is a easy way out of this.
Offer the refs a fair salary and make them full time refs.
Travel costs coveted by the league and a fair pension depending on years of service.
Most of the cost could be covered by a sponsorship logo on the refs jersey.

TheOak

I know the NFL is portrayed as the monster in just about everything but I have big problems with what these Ref's are striking for.

1. As part time employees the NFLRA should consider them selves very lucky to have any pension at all. PT employees do not get benefits anywhere else.

2. Part time employees feeling they deserve a raise based on the leagues revenue? Really? First, revenue has nothing to do with profit. Secondly who else looks at their companies gross revenue for a year and decides they should get a raise?

3. Part Time employees having a Union? WTF?

4. As I understand it the NFL Refs want a pension plan that is more lucrative than the NFL regular employes and the players pension plans.

5. Are you FKN kidding me? Refs want to make $400k a year? For a 5 month season????????
"The NFLRA is not opposed to full time officials if they are fairly compensated," the union said Thursday. "While the NFL has never made any compensation proposal, comparable positions in other professional sports at the 20-year level earn approximately $350,000 to $400,000 and are provided health insurance, a pension, time off with pay and numerous other benefits."

6. Refs cant handle a 401k like the rest of the world?
"Finally, there is a stalemate over the officials' pension plan, which the union said the league plans to freeze and ultimately terminate. The NFLRA offered to "grandfather" the current defined benefit plan only for current officials.
The league is offering a 401(k) plan in which it said its last proposal would provide annual contributions averaging about $20,000."

NFL wants to reduce referees' pay, add three full-time crews - ESPN


IMHO screw the refs. They do not risk the same as players and for a Referee to make more than the minimum of an NFL rookie player, and nearly as much as a the 1 year player minimum is absurd.

TheOak

See my reply below as to what the NFLRA believes is a "fair salary".

lee909

I didn't know they wanted so much.
The premier league refs in English football(soccer) are full time and paid just over £70k(110k) for a season that runs August to May,not sure about pensions.
I think that the NFL refs deserve more as the traveling means more time away but surely $200/250k is more than fair.
To be fair I don't see why anyone earning $2ml if they stick around 5 years needs a pension. You shouldn't be hurting for money unless you are a idiot.

TheOak

Well that's it.... These guys also have full time jobs... as it was described by Pat Kerwin on NFL Sirius.. a lot of them are professionals at their primary occupation E.G. Dr's, Lawyers, etc... They already have retirement and benis at their present employer.
(rant about unions removed)..