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Done Deal: NFL Refs to Return Thursday

By Jeralyn, Section Off Topic
Posted on Wed Sep 26, 2012 at 11:26:16 PM EST
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Good news for football fans. The lockout has ended. A deal has been struck and the NFL referees will return starting tomorrow night.

According to reports, the pension issue was resolved with the existing defined-benefit plan remaining in place for five years until the officials are rolled over into a 401(k) plan.

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    Done Deal: NFL Refs to Return Thursday | 12 comments (12 topical)

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    This job is far better (none / 0) (#1)
    by CoralGables on Thu Sep 27, 2012 at 08:59:36 AM EST
    than I ever imagined. I was under the impression the average salary was $80,000 for twenty days of work a year as a second job (Ed Hochuli's real job is as a lawyer). Reports today place last year's average salary for NFL refs at $149,000.

    The agreement is to increase the average salary over the next 7 years to $205,000 plus an additional $23,000 annually in retirement benefits.

    Not a bad gig at all. That will get them up to $11,400 per day.

    Looks like the refs union... (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Thu Sep 27, 2012 at 09:53:36 AM EST
    sold out future new hires on the pension vs. 401scamk issue.  If the refs couldn't lock up a pension with all that leverage, in a goldmine business like the NFL, I guess the pension concept really is extinct, in the private sector anyway.  Great news for Wall St...not so good for workers.

    But great news for football, and somewhat good news for labor.  If nothing else we've got a talking point and perfect example that a qualified workforce is to be valued and compensated. Or else suffer the scabs and get what you pay for, potentially destroying your business in a penny wise pound foolish fashion.  The NFL has a virtual monopoly and look what happened to their credibility, a business with real competition can afford to scab it up even less.

    I'll be interested to see which crew (none / 0) (#3)
    by Anne on Thu Sep 27, 2012 at 10:08:37 AM EST
    is working the Ravens game tonight...will they send Hochuli and his crew, since it's a nationally televised game and they'll want to showcase the union refs' professionalism?

    I guess we'll see soon enough.

    I'm just glad tonight's game doesn't have to suffer with replacement refs, as I had originally heard that if they reached a deal, the union guys wouldn't be on the job until Sunday.

    I have a feeling that after what happened Monday night, and after the extremely loud chant of "Bullsh!t" that Ravens fans treated the replacement refs to on Sunday night, and that could be clearly heard on the national broadcast, they decided it would be better to get the union guys on the field tonight.

    Parent

    Just saw that it will be Gene Steratore (none / 0) (#4)
    by Anne on Thu Sep 27, 2012 at 10:12:39 AM EST
    and his crew tonight...

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    Wouldn't be fair... (none / 0) (#5)
    by kdog on Thu Sep 27, 2012 at 10:17:51 AM EST
    to have the scabs do tonights game and have the real refs on Sunday...so glad the real refs are here for all of Week 4.

    Got the Ravens in my suicide/eliminator pool this week, 50 entrants 12 remain...counting on your boys Anne, no mega-upset please.  I want that 12 hundo, this is my year!

    Parent

    It's tough playing on Thursday (