The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players does not expire for another five years. But listening to Ramon Foster, one of the Steelers representatives for the players' union, NFL fans should enjoy the football while they can.
Player discipline remains one of the hot-button issues for the union, and the Steelers, in particular. Linebacker James Harrison was threatened with an indefinite suspension if he did not acquiesce and give an interview to NFL investigators on the subject of performance-enhancing drug use. Running back Le'Veon Bell had a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy reduced to three for unspecified problems with the drug testing process.
Foster said the players have to be stronger than they were in 2011 when they caved in on negotiations because they did not want to miss game checks.
"We have to," Foster said. "It's a must. It's an absolute must that we do. There will be a lot that goes into this next negotiation. Players have to be prepared for it, more than the last time."
When Foster says prepared he means to the point of expecting a work stoppage.
"It's coming," Foster said. "They've hired certain people on their legal team, the NFL has. We have to be the type of players and union that aren't borrowing money from banks to survive a lockout or a strike. That can't happen this time around. We have to be unified. We have to be smarter this time around. There are a lot of things we'll be fighting for, a lot of things they're going to want and we're going to want, too. We have to be strong."
Foster and other players believe a work stoppage is the only thing that can solve the problems between the union and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league's 32 owners.
"You hit them in the pocket," Foster said. "That way, money always talks. For us to do that, we have to save on our end. We can't be blowing money and not realizing what's coming, especially for the guys who are coming into the league now."
More than a week ago, Foster said Bell's appeal had a chance to get reduced or overturned because of issues with the drug testing process. Foster did not go into specifics about what happened with Bell, but he said player discipline is too inconsistent.
"Just how you handle it," Foster said. "Every situation has been different. Not one person has had the same penalty. It's always how the person is feeling that's handing down the execution. It needs to be refined. It can't just go through one person."
While Bell's appeal has been the in the news lately, Foster said marijuana will not be at the top of the union's list of negotiating points. He said player safety, health insurance after retirement and player salaries are far more important.
"There are bigger issues than pot," Foster said. "I hope it's not just pot. There are a lot more things we can fight for than just the levels of marijuana when you get drug tested. We'll be a smart union when dealing with those types of things because there are bigger issues at hand than just dealing with marijuana. Other leagues have their issues, too. With the NFL, we choose to highlight ours more than others."
Foster said that comes in the form of information leaks to news media when a player fails a test. Bell's missed tests were reported by news organizations, and Foster said those leaks came from the NFL office.
"The issues we have with drugs in the NFL, we're not the only league," he said. "There are other leagues that have the same issues we have, but they deal with it in different processes. They send their guys to rehab or they have in-house guys that help deal with those types of things. Anytime a player fails a drug test in this league it's all over ESPN, CBS, Fox. It paints a black eye more than anything. It's not helping the players; it's hurting their image. Anytime something like that comes out, you're guilty before you even have a chance to defend yourself."
The Steelers were the only NFL team to vote against the collective bargaining agreement in 2011. All other 31 teams voted yes. Former Steelers Ryan Clark and Charlie Batch were the player reps for the team then. Foster said he is doing his best now to inform younger players about the importance of the next negotiation.
"The NFL has already started hiring guys to combat us. I've been stressing to our guys to save. Don't be that club that's uninformed or not prepared. I felt like R.C. and Charlie did a great job of equipping us with everything we needed to know. That's why we voted no."
