Georgetti, Ramsay to head CFLPA’s collective bargaining unit in talks with CFL

TORONTO — Senior advisor Ken Georgetti and executive director Brian Ramsay will lead the CFL Players’ Association into contract talks with the league.

The Canadian Press has learned Georgetti and Ramsay will serve as the chair and vice-chair, respectively, for the union when it begins collective bargaining with the CFL on Monday and Tuesday in Toronto.

The present contract is scheduled to expire in May.

The remainder of the union’s bargaining committee will be CFLPA president Jeff Keeping, second vice-president Solomon Elimimian, third vice-president Rolly Lumbala, treasurer Peter Dyakowski and player reps John Bowman (Montreal Alouettes) and Chad Rempel (Winnipeg Blue Bombers).

Elimimian, 32, is entering his eighth season with the B.C. Lions. The six-foot, 225-pound linebacker was the league’s top rookie in 2010 and a Grey Cup champion the next year.

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Twice he’s been named the CFL’s top defensive player (2014, 2016) and in 2016 became the first defensive-only to capture the league’s outstanding player honour.

The six-foot-two, 245-pound Lumbala has spent the last 11 seasons with B.C. The 33-year-old fullback also won a Grey Cup with the Lions in 2011.

Dyakowski retired in November after 11 seasons as a CFL offensive lineman with Hamilton, Toronto and Saskatchewan.

Bowman, 36, has spent 13 seasons with Montreal. The six-foot-three, 250-pound defensive lineman has amassed 406 tackles, 126 sacks and 31 forced fumbles.

Rempel, 36, is entering his fifth season as a long-snapper with Winnipeg. The six-foot-three, 255-pound Saskatoon native is entering his 16th CFL campaign, having spent time previously with Edmonton (2004), Winnipeg (2005-06, 2015-present), Toronto (2006-07, 2009-13), Hamilton (2008) and Saskatchewan (2014).

Rempel also signed with the NFL’s Chicago Bears on April 7, 2014 but was released Aug. 18.

Georgetti joined the CFLPA in 2016. He’s a former president of the Canadian Labour Congress and has over 35 years of labour relations experience.

Georgetti was elected vice-president of the British Columbia Federation of Labour in 1984 and two years later became the organization’s youngest-ever president. He’s an Order of Canada recipient and was the longest serving president in CLC history.

The CFL’s bargaining team will again be led by Stephen Shamie, the league’s general counsel. Shamie was an integral figure in the 2014 talks with then commissioner Mark Cohon. CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie will participate in the opening bargaining sessions.

The remainder of the league’s player-relations committee will be Scott Mitchell (CEO, Hamilton Tiger-Cats), Roger Greenberg (co-owner, Ottawa Redblacks), Rick LeLacheur (B.C. Lions president) and Wade Miller (Winnipeg Blue Bombers president/CEO).

Currently, no further talks have been scheduled past Tuesday.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press