Cleveland forfeits matchup against Pittsburgh

Friday June 8, 2012

 CHICAGO – The Cleveland Gladiators (6-6) have forfeited tonight’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Power (3-9), the Arena Football League Office announced today.

The forfeit, due to a work stoppage by a group of Gladiator players, evens Cleveland’s record with just seven weeks remaining in the regular season.

“Despite many offers from the League, a group of players with the Cleveland Gladiators have opted to go on strike,” AFL Commissioner Jerry B. Kurz said. “Because of the circumstance at hand, the Cleveland Gladiators have forfeited the matchup.”

All other games slated for Week 14 will be played as planned.

“The remainder of the 2012 AFL season and postseason is not in jeopardy,” Kurz said. “Unfortunately, a small group of players entered a work stoppage.”

Entering the League’s Silver Anniversary, the AFL Players Union and Arena Football League have been engaged in labor talks. The AFL offered players a substantial pay raise, however the union turned down the offer.

At this point, the League and the Union seem to be at an impasse. Two weeks ago, the AFL Players Union rejected the League’s latest proposal in less than an hour. The Union reverted back to its Collective Bargaining Agreement proposal made on February 24, 2012. After more than three months, the Union has shown no movement from its proposal formulated by the AFL Player Union’s Executive Director Ivan Soto. Soto has acknowledged the proposal would cost the League in excess of $15,000,000 over the 2012 and 2013 seasons.