Officials from the league and players’ union will meet separately with federal mediator George Cohen on Monday in the latest attempt to break the NBA lockout stalemate. The top negotiators from each side are slated to meet with Cohen in a bargaining session setting on Tuesday, as well.
NBA Lockout: League, Players’ Union Officials To Meet Separately With Federal Mediator Monday
National Basketball Players Association head Billy Hunter said in a Friday press conference that the union had wanted to meet with Cohen all week, but that the league refused to cancel or postpone owners’ meetings scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. According to report, owners will discuss revenue sharing on Wednesday and negotiating positions with regards to the lockout on Thursday.
Cohen was involved in the 2004 NHL lockout (which lasted more than a year and cost an entire season) and the recent NFL lockout. The NFL and its players’ union actually went into mediation before the owners locked out players; the stoppage dragged on for more than four months and resulted in one cancelled preseason game. Before its first meeting with a mediator, the NBA will have cancelled its entire preseason and 100 regular season games.
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