Edmonton Elks, Calgary Stampeders players will be in legal strike position Thursday
Two sides resumed talking informally this week: league sources
Players with the Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders will be in a legal strike position Thursday afternoon.
The CFL took to social media Wednesday to offer clarity on the subject, tweeting players with both teams will be in a legal strike position as of 12:25 p.m. MT on Thursday.
Elks and Stampeders players were the only ones to open training camp Sunday after talks between the CFL and CFL Players' Association (CFLPA) on a new collective bargaining agreement broke off Saturday.
Players on the other seven CFL teams were in a legal strike position at 10:01 p.m. MT on Saturday and did not report for the start of camp the following day.
While neither the CFL nor the CFLPA have formally announced a return to the bargaining table, league sources have said the two sides resumed talking informally this week.
The CFL's exhibition season is slated to open Monday night with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The league has yet to formally announce its plans for the game but it appears unlikely it will go ahead as planned, given both teams have yet to begin practising.