[stripes]

I would like to add my two cents to the contract dispute between the NFLRA and the NFL. I come from a union background. My father was a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters for over fifty years, and his two brothers were members of the United Steel Workers for over forty years, and I am a member of the American Federations of Teachers. I will be the first one to admit that unions are not perfect but the standard of living and the working conditions that exist in this country today are the product of unions representing the workers of America. While one does not think of the UBC, USW, and the AFT in the same breath as the NFLRA, all of them exist to make sure that its members get a fair shake from their employers. Having said that let me get to the central theme of my post.

I disagree with part of this. I believe that at one time unions helped the average worker and raised his standard of living and bettered his work environment. Those days have past. Today unions are out to get business owners. Their defininition of "a fair shake" would put many business owners out of business and would raise the cost of goods and services to the point that they would be unaffordable to the average working family. The day of the union is past. Unions exist now to put money into union organizer's and leader's pockets and to harass legitimate business owners.

I officiate four sports: basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer, and basketball is my serious sport and I officiate the other three sports for fun. If the NBA or WNBA officials were ever to go on strike, and I were offered a chance to officiate in place of a striker I would turn it down.

Why? Have you ever been in an officiating postion where you took a stand on principle and refused to officiate because of that position because to officiate would not be in the best interest of the profession? You were willing to lose money to take a stand on principles. But at the same time many of your brother/sisters were more than willing to take those games because of the money.

How is refusing a 60% raise in pay not in the best interest of the profession? I do not know a single person who wouldn't want a 60% raise this year and a 120% raise in three. How are these men different than those willing to take the games for $2K/game? It is absolutely about taking games for the money offered. The money standard is just different. The NFL has laid out a package that is very attractive and VERY FAIR to the officials. I am amazed and astounded at the greed being displayed by the officials and by the gaul of claiming that it is a matter of principle. In my mind the integrity of the officials as a whole is sufferring from the officials union's unwillingness to negotiate in good faith.

I say a pox on your family to any official who works as a scab. You have forsaken your brothers/sisters just so you could say you officiated in the NFL. We are supposed to conduct ourselves in a professional and ethical manner. It is neither professional nor is it ethical conduct to take another person's job under such circumstances.

Maybe it wasn't about reffing in the NFL, maybe they needed the money and $2k was too much to pass up. Maybe it was the biggest reffing payday they had ever had and they felt liked it was fair compensation for the service they provided.

Professionalism and ethics are critically important and the NFL referee's union needs to learn a thing or two about them. It is not ethical nor is it professional to hold a business hostage for unreasonable demands. It is unethical and unprofessional to refuse work under fair and generous conditions provided by your employer. It is unethical and unprofessional to expect full time pay for part time work.

The replacement guys aren't scabs, they are opportunists. One set of refs won't work under good conditions and another will, that is all there is to it. If the NFL wasn't being fair or upright with the refs, then I could see having a problem with replacements, but not when the NFL has been very fair.

$40K is a lot more than many people make in their real job, how pompous are these guys to demand more than what has been offered. I know they haven't had a pay raise in 6 years, but that is the deal they signed. As it is a 60% raise is still 10% a year for each of the 6 years (and a 10% raise is nothing to scoff at--I'd take that every year fot the next 6 ). It is time for these guys to get off their collective butts and sign the deal. If they refuse it, I say good luck to the guys in stripes this weekend and for many to come.