Nfl, Unions | featured news

NFL officials ended their labor dispute with the league by approving a new eight-year contract with a 112-5 vote Saturday, then hustled off to the airport to get to work. Next stop, stadiums around the country. And, the officials hope, anonymity.

The National Football League (NFL) reached an agreement to end a labor dispute with its regular game officials on Wednesday, ending three weeks of questionable calls that had threatened the integrity of the sport.

The N.F.L. and the referees’ union are close to reaching an agreement to end the lockout, but a remaining issue is how quickly the regular N.F.L. referees can return to work.

The NFL and the players' union have made "some progress" over seven consecutive days of face-to-face meetings, "but very strong differences remain," and negotiations will resume next week, the federal mediator overseeing the talks said Thursday....

The contentious NFL labor negotiations went in front of a federal mediator Friday, two weeks before owners could impose a lockout on players and threaten the 2011 season....