Chicago Bears meet new union chief

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-15-nfl-demaurice-smith-may15,0,2857473.story

By Dan Pompei | Tribune reporter
5:54 PM CDT, May 14, 2009

For the first time, Bears players had a chance to shake hands and exchange ideas Thursday with the man who will lead them to battle.

No, not quarterback Jay Cutler. It was NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith who made his first visit to Halas Hall.

Smith, who was elected to his position in March, also met with Bears Chairman Michael McCaskey.

Smith is gathering opinions and expressing his own on the coming round of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. He is making a tour of NFL teams.

NFL owners opted out of the current CBA last year. If a new agreement is not reached before next March there will be no salary cap for the 2010 season, and players likely will strike before the 2011 season.

While negotiations are not expected to begin in the near future, Smith continues to hammer home the NFLPA position: players want the owners to open their books as a starting point to negotiations.

FULL story at link.