A class-action complaint was filed on Monday in the Federal District Court in Minneapolis, stating the NFL, the 32 league owners, the players named in the 'Tom Brady vs. NFL' lawsuit and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith have violated laws by not giving retired players a fair voice in the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. New York Times reporter Judy Batista first reported the news.
The complaint states that those negotiating a CBA are not following antitrust laws that state a settlement would include the best interests of retired players. The former players claim that current players in the league "are conspiring to depress the amounts of pension and disability benefits to be paid to former NFL players in order to maximize the salaries and benefits to current NFL players," according to Batista.
"We feel we have a seat at the table, but we're having the chair pulled out from under us," said Michael Hausfeld, the Washington-based lawyer representing retired players in an interview with the Times. "Both sides are saying, 'We'll decide what's in your best interests.' "
The suit asks for an injunction in CBA negotiations between the NFL and players on issues regarding retired players, such as pensions and health benefits. It also requests for a declaration saying the NFLPA can't represent the interests of retired players. The retired players will seek treble damages if the court does not allow the injunction.
However the actual goal of the complaint, per the article, is to have Judge Susan Richard Nelson, whose court ordered the mediated CBA negotiations, allow representatives for retired players to be active in the talks along with the players and owners.
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