George McCaskey and Ted Phillips attended owners’ meetings in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday and had this to say about the ongoing process that it is hoped will end the lockout and produce a new collective bargaining agreement.
Owners voted 31-0 (the Raiders abstained) in favor of the proposal to end the lockout.
“It was a long day because there was a lot of information to convey,” said McCaskey, the Bears chairman. “It’s a very detailed and comprehensive agreement, so there was a lot to go over so that we could make an informed decision on the vote. I thought the information was presented very effectively. I thought the questions that people asked were very good and right on target. In the end, there was a resounding vote for what’s good for the game.”
Team president Phillips said the agreement will benefit all and hopes players ratify the deal “in short order.”
“Even in difficult circumstances, I think both sides have worked together to come to a long-term agreement, and the goal of having an agreement that works for the clubs, the fans and the players has been reached,” he said. “I think both sides gave a little bit. It was a tough negotiation but I think one that will serve all sides really well in the long term.”
