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Because the players will tell you they have never felt more united, stronger or prepared to bargain. They formed an alliance with the United Steelworkers and other union entities which helped build a war chest and a logistics support plan. The idea was to ensure players did not become motivated by desperation to vote for a deal that would divide the membership.

“Both sides of the deal, American and Canadian, are both very well represented in this deal,” said King. “We feel like we won the battle and we won the war.

“We’ve been bullied for multiple CBAs over and over and over. We’ve learned. We’ve educated ourselves. We’ve communicated across our membership and we have been extremely strong in this whole entire process and we think we came out with a very good deal, at least a short-term deal that will definitely set us up for the next negotiations.”

He said the last-minute tactics employed by the CFL were unfortunate.

“Did it surprise me? Not much. These kinds of moves have been pulled kind of (through) the whole process of negotiating. We stayed strong as a union. I’m proud of all of our members, our bargaining committee, proud of everyone who was at the table dealing with all this. To get it back to where we are now, the original deal, is something we want to present to our members and get this vote started.”

Both the CFL and CFLPA leadership are recommending approval of the deal as it stands once again.

Eskimo players began the 24-hour process of electronic ratification voting Sunday afternoon. The deal needs 51% approval, provided there is 80% participation, and all players under CFL contract are eligible.

“Obviously with the move the CFL pulled yesterday it’s going to delay (ratification) a day or two,” said King. “But we’re on top of our side of things. We’re just ensuring the CFL doesn’t try anything else.”

And they get to do it all again in three short years. Won’t that be fun?

dbarnes@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/sportsdanbarnes