Referees Reject Proposal, Still Hopeful Of Deal

[duncan228]

Referees reject proposal, still hopeful of deal (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-referees-lockout&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By Brian Mahoney

NBA referees have voted unanimously against the NBA’s latest contract proposal, but remain hopeful a deal can be reached in time to avoid a lockout.

The contract between the league and its officials expired Sept. 1 and negotiations toward a new deal broke down last week after commissioner David Stern abruptly halted a meeting in New York. The NBA made another proposal Wednesday, and referees association spokesman Lamell McMorris said his side hoped to offer a counterproposal Thursday.

All 57 active referees met in Chicago, and McMorris said they planned to continue discussions late into the night.

“I think it’s a tremendous sign of unity and also willingness to get a deal done, that rather than going to jump on planes they’re still in a conference room,” McMorris said about midnight EDT, following seven hours of meetings. “None of them are going home.”

No further sessions between the NBA and the referees were planned after last week’s impasse, when McMorris criticized Stern for his behavior. But McMorris said some discussions have been ongoing, and the league’s decision to make an offer Wednesday was a “pleasant surprise.”

Both sides are hoping to reach an agreement in time to prevent replacement officials from working the first preseason game on Oct. 1. McMorris said there’s even a possibility the refs could have a deal in time for their training camp, scheduled to begin Sunday.

“I’m hopeful from what our group has demonstrated. The league has to meet us kind of halfway,” McMorris said. “I don’t know what more of a sign we can show and demonstrate than the fact these folks are not leaving Chicago in hopes that we can get a deal done.”

The NBA is seeking cuts in areas such as the referees’ retirement benefits, travel budget and their per diems. McMorris said the officials, recognizing the financial difficulties the league is facing, already agreed to $2.5 million in reductions and were willing to agree to a two-year deal in which their salaries would be frozen for the first year.

The league last began a season without its regular officials in 1995, and failure to reach a deal soon could lead to NBA Development League referees calling games next month. Neither side sounded optimistic last week, but McMorris’ tone had changed by late Wednesday night.

“We’re going to try to get on the phone and open up negotiations. All 57 every active referees are locking ourselves in in an effort to get a deal done,” he said. “I’m just very proud of these folks. They’re willing to stand up for what they believe they’re worth, recognizing the climate that they’re under.”

[Chieflion]

This is the first time all refs are consistent with what they all think.

[Darthkiller]

i am behind stern on this, GET RID OF OLD REFFs

[Culburn369]

Stern is using the recession in an attempt to break the union. & frankly it's his golden opportunity to do so. They'll be trace sympathy for a union in this economy.

[manufan10]

This is the first time all refs are consistent with what they all think.

:lol

[duncan228]

N.B.A. Referees Stay Put in Hopes of a Deal (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/sports/basketball/17refs.html?_r=2&ref=sports)
By Howard Beck
The New York Times

In a last-ditch effort to avert a lockout, the N.B.A.’s 57 referees have instead locked themselves in, setting up camp indefinitely at a Chicago airport hotel until they reach terms on a new contract.

The referees met for seven hours Wednesday and unanimously rejected the N.B.A.’s latest offer. But they apparently sensed enough progress in the talks that they decided not to leave town.

“The referees are locking themselves in, in an effort to get a deal done as soon as possible,” Lamell McMorris, the referees’ chief negotiator, said just after midnight, following the marathon meeting.

He characterized the lock-in as a symbolic gesture that showed the referees’ commitment to getting a deal done, even if it meant spending several days in a hotel, rather than with their families.

“Every referee is here, from all around the country,” he said. “They’re not leaving.”

N.B.A. officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

The league delivered its latest offer to the union Wednesday afternoon, just before the referees held their meeting. No N.B.A. officials were present in Chicago, although McMorris said he intended to reopen dialogue by phone immediately.

The decision to have the referees stay seemed to imply that a deal was close — and that it was worth keeping them around for a ratification vote sometime in the next day or so.

“I’m very hopeful that we can get a deal done,” McMorris said. “The folks on the other side of the table just have to met us part of the way though.”

The N.B.A. is seeking deep cuts in the referee budget but has backed off of the 10 percent figure that was a staple of earlier proposals. The parties are still at odds over a number of issues, most notably retirement benefits, prompting the union’s 57-to-0 vote against the proposal Wednesday.

“There was some movement, but not much,” McMorris said, after what he called “a very emotional” meeting. “We are staying here all night trying to come up with a counterproposal. We’re trying to meet the league halfway on all these issues.”

The previous five-year contract between the N.B.A. and its referees expired Sept. 1. At the referees’ request, the N.B.A. has agreed to limit the new contract to two years, in hopes that the economy will recover and allow for a more generous deal in 2011.

Both sides have been bracing for a lockout since talks collapsed last week. The N.B.A. has been recruiting replacement referees, primarily from the Development League, in preparation for the preseason. The first exhibition game will be held in just two weeks, on Oct. 1.

The N.B.A. has not used replacement referees since its last lockout, in 1996. It was regarded as a disaster by players and fans alike.

[duncan228]

Refs spokesman: Lockout appears ‘imminent’ (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-referees-lockout&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By Brian Mahoney

The lead negotiator and spokesman for the NBA’s referees union says a lockout appears “imminent and unavoidable” following the latest breakdown in talks.

Lamell McMorris says the officials made another $1 million in concessions in a proposal Thursday, but believes it’s evident the league is not interested in further discussions. The officials then headed home after spending the last 24 hours meeting in Chicago.

The contract between the NBA and its officials expired Sept. 1 and the sides have been trying to reach a new two-year deal. McMorris said they largely agree on salaries, but the union has balked at the league’s attempt to change retirement benefits.

Without a new deal, replacement officials will be used when preseason play opens Oct. 1.

[Trainwreck2100]

i am behind stern on this, GET RID OF OLD REFFs


Yeah cause i'm sure stern will hire fine upstanding refs


Also any proposal by the nba should include the dismissal of violet palmer

[024]

i would rather have a lockout occur. spurs would dominate.

[z0sa]

Yeah cause i'm sure stern will hire fine upstanding refs


Also any proposal by the nba should include the dismissal of violet palmer

violet palmer dismissed herself

[duncan228]

Updated.

Refs spokesman: Lockout appears ‘imminent’ (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-referees-lockout&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By Brian Mahoney

The lead negotiator and spokesman for the NBA’s referees union said Thursday a lockout appears “imminent and unavoidable” following the latest breakdown in talks.

Lamell McMorris said the officials made another $1 million in concessions in their proposal, but believes it’s evident the league is not interested in further discussions. The officials then headed home after spending the last 24 hours meeting in Chicago.

“It’s become evident that the league would not be interested in continuing conversation at this time,” McMorris said.

The NBA had a similarly pessimistic view.

“I’m not going to handicap it, other than to say there’s always time to make an agreement if the parties want to do that,” NBA general counsel and lead negotiator Rick Buchanan said. “I’m not optimistic based on what happened today. We’ll just have to see what happens.”

The contract between the NBA and its officials expired Sept. 1 and the sides have been trying to reach a new two-year deal. McMorris said they largely agree on salaries, but the union has balked at the league’s attempt to change retirement benefits.

Besides the severance and pension disagreements, the officials are resisting a league development plan for young officials.

Without a new deal, replacement officials will be used when preseason play opens Oct. 1. The NBA last began a season without its regular referees in 1995-96, when the caliber of officiating was roundly criticized.

“We’re prepared to be locked out by the NBA but also remain open to ongoing dialogue,” McMorris said, adding that negotiations have been difficult because the league “has made pretty clear they have a goal they are trying to achieve as it relates to these long-term benefits.”

All 57 active referees arrived in Chicago on Wednesday, meeting for more than seven hours and unanimously rejecting a proposal the league made earlier that day. McMorris said the officials reconvened early Thursday morning to finalize the counterproposal they made to the league.

Talks previously broke down after NBA commissioner David Stern ended a meeting in New York, saying the officials had reneged on previously agreed to items. McMorris sounded hopeful of a deal Wednesday night, but little progress was made in Thursday’s talks.

“I would say that the parties had discussions today. They made some new proposals, we made some additional proposals. We didn’t make a deal,” Buchanan said.

McMorris previously said the officials, sensitive to the financial difficulties the league is facing, agreed to $2.5 million in concessions, but the league sought further cuts in areas such as the travel budget and per diems. Stern said the goal was to bring the referees’ budget in line with other departments.

But McMorris said the officials are unwilling to accept any further changes to their retirement benefits.

“We’ve given so many concessions in other areas, a line has to be drawn,” he said. “It has to be fair and equitable for everyone in our group.”

McMorris said the referees won’t be in New Jersey for their annual training camp, scheduled to begin Sunday. He praised them for the efforts they made in Chicago at their own expense, even while struggling to remain optimistic they could eventually pay off.

“I’m extremely proud of the 57 individuals that we represent. Their unity, the good-faith nature that they have sought to negotiate with their employee,” McMorris said. “We’re quite proud and confident that we’ve given it our best shot, that we’ve put forth a good-faith effort.”

[Culburn369]

i would rather have a lockout occur. spurs would dominate.

Please. Don't even start. Your hand has been out there pandering just a smidge under equally with ours and that's just because you fucked up your every other year thingy, idiot. They had to juice somebody in and we happened to be next on line.

[exstatic]

“We’re going to try to get on the phone and open up negotiations. All 57 every active referees are locking ourselves in in an effort to get a deal done,” he said. “I’m just very proud of these folks. They’re willing to stand up for what they believe they’re worth, recognizing the climate that they’re under.”

I haven't seen this level of idiocy since the NL umps all resigned, and lost their jobs. They're really all going to lose their jobs over 700K, split 57 ways over two years? That's like 6K per ref per year, and it's only for 2 years. It's like the charge of the stupid brigade.