Flagging the official issues

— A closer look at some of the issues surrounding the lockout: Why aren’t the regular NFL officials working these games?

The league initiated a lockout when the contract with the NFL Referees Association expired in June and the two sides failed to agree on a new deal. Talks have resumed, but without a new collective bargaining agreement in place the regular referees can’t return to the field.

Who are the guys replacing them?

Major-college refs stuck with their usual jobs out of loyalty, leaving the NFL to mine replacements from the lower divisions of the NCAA, minor organizations like the Arena League and retirees from the major-college ranks.

What do the locked-out referees want that the NFL won’t give them?

The NFLRA, which has 121 on-field members and also represents in-the-booth replay officials and more than 100 retirees, is at odds with the league over salary,retirement benefits and other logistical issues. The NFL is proposing a pension freeze and a higher 401(k) match; the union is balking because of the greater risk to the nest egg that comes with the loss of a defined benefit.

Since most NFL referees have second jobs, the league has labeled the NFLRA position unrealistic. The union’s argument is that NFL revenues have soared to $9 billion annually since the last agreement was reached in 2006. The league also wants to add fulltime refs to the payroll to improve the quality of the officiating. The union opposes that plan because it could cut into each ref’s piece of the salary pool and potentially threaten job security.

The NFL has said its offer includes annual pay increases that could earn an experienced official more than $200,000 annually by 2018. The NFLRA has disputed the value of the proposal, insisting it means an overall reduction in compensation.

Sports, Pages 24 on 09/26/2012

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