NFL, Players Union Agree To Federal Mediation

The NFL announced today that the league and the players union have agreed to let a third party federal mediator step in to try to help negotiations in the current labor dispute.

The two sides will meet with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service for the first time tomorrow in Washington DC. George H. Cohen, the directer of the FMCS, released a statement confirming the move today. Part of the statement read:

"“Due to the extreme sensitivity of these negotiations and consistent with the FMCS’s long-standing practice, the Agency will refrain from any public comment concerning the future schedule and/or the status of those negotiations until further notice.”"

More after the jump.

The mediator has no real power in the negotiating process but serves as a neutral voice that can speak candidly to both parties about the strengths and weaknesses of their positions.

I’m not sure how much the mediator will be able to help the situation, although according to Pro Football Talk, Cohen helped Major League Soccer strike a deal with their union.

I guess there is some hope. We’ll keep an eye on the situation for you all.