Latest news with #contractnegotiation
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA)'s Defense Workers Strike After Rejecting Contract Offer
The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) is among the 11 Best Large Cap Defense Stocks to Buy According to Analysts. The aircraft manufacturer is encountering a major labor strife, as more than 3,000 defense unit workers have gone on strike after turning down a contract offer. Late last month, union members at the company's St. Louis defense hub overwhelmingly voted to reject a contract offer, which proposed a 20% wage boost over four years, a $5,000 ratification bonus, more vacation time, and sick leaves. The vote was followed by a week-long cooling-off period, which ended on August 3. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) rejected the proposal, saying it fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices of the workforce. Earlier this week, CNBC quoted Tom Boelling, an IAM District 837 directing business representative, as saying the following: 'IAM District 837 members have spoken loud and clear, they deserve a contract that reflects their skill, dedication, and the critical role they play in our nation's defense. We stand shoulder to shoulder with these working families as they fight for fairness and respect on the job.' The workers maintain and assemble the F-15 fighter jet and missile systems. This is the group's first strike since 1996. It comes as a setback for The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), as it was expanding manufacturing in the St. Louis area, especially after winning the contract for the F-47 fighter jet earlier this year. While we acknowledge the potential of BA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 10 Best Low Priced Defense Stocks to Buy Now and 10 Best Aerospace Stocks to Buy Now. Disclosure: None. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
New York Times
19 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
James Cook dresses but refuses to take field for Buffalo Bills: ‘We wanted him to play'
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – James Cook emerged from the Highmark Stadium tunnel in full pads and uniform, putting a charge into the pregame summer air. The Buffalo Bills running back hadn't worn any of his gear for a week. He wants a new contract and has applied his leverage by refusing to practice. To see Cook on the field Saturday — he even took a first-team rep in 11-on-11 warmup drills — was a jolt of hope. Advertisement Cook never was going to play. In what was nothing more than a costume change, he milled about on the sidelines of the Bills' 34-25 exhibition loss to the New York Giants. Cook stood next to running backs coach Kelly Skipper on the sideline for much of the game. For the second half, Cook wore sunglasses and running shoes, occasionally using a massage gun on his legs and sometimes watching from the bench. Upon exiting the locker room to head home, I asked Cook if he had a moment to chat. He didn't say a word, waving his hand as a de facto 'no comment.' Bills coach Sean McDermott revealed 20 minutes later the Bills wanted Cook to play Saturday, but last year's NFL rushing touchdowns co-leader refused — just as Cook has done since the Aug. 1 intrasquad scrimmage, missing four straight training-camp practices and maybe many more. 'James and I had a good conversation yesterday,' McDermott said as part of the opening statement of his postgame news conference. 'We talked about warming up. He agreed to warm up but not play due to his situation right now. That's where we're at. So no change, really, overall.' Was the discussion with Cook an attempt to reach a compromise? 'No, we wanted him to play,' McDermott said. 'I wanted him to play, but I don't really want to go into it any further. 'There's really no change at this point and time from what it was going into this weekend and the game today. He warmed up, like I said, but at this point, due to his situation and the position he's in, was not willing to play. So that's where we're at. Again, it was a good conversation, but really no change overall.' Asked whether the Bills expect Cook to participate Tuesday in the next full-go practice, McDermott made it clear he was done discussing the stand-around tailback. 'We can talk about the guys who played,' McDermott said. 'I think that's the right thing to do and the fair thing to do now.' Advertisement 'James' situation is James' situation, and let's talk about the team.' Nothing is bigger than the team. As much support and diplomacy that has been shown by Cook's teammates and coaches, Buffalo knows the ongoing saga is becoming a distraction. The team needs him in the huddle. 'You'd be crazy to say we don't want him out there,' quarterback Josh Allen said Thursday. 'We desperately want him out there with us. Hopefully, something can get done.' The team is also aggravated that this problem exists at all. McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane are proud of the culture they've grown, cultivating a hale organization from the salted soil that produced 17 years of playoff famine. Propelled by their face-of-the-NFL quarterback, they've turned a small-market outpost into a perennial Super Bowl contender. Prior to Cook, Beane never had a contract situation cause any type of training camp boycott. Everybody is supposed to be happy here. The idea that a star player is upset about his contract goes against the Bills' well-manicured identity. But it must not be super-fun-wow for Cook to see several of his peers get contract extensions this offseason while he remains empty-handed. Three of his 2022 draft classmates — linebacker Terrel Bernard, receiver Khalil Shakir, cornerback Christian Benford — and edge rusher Gregory Rousseau now are on their second NFL deals. Benford suggested last week at St. John Fisher University he wouldn't handle his contract the way Cook has. 'If I was in that position, it'd probably be the same as how I'm doing now — you know what I'm saying? — working my butt off,' Benford said. 'I'm challenging myself to the wit's end, whether I got the money or not, whether they gave me the extension or not. I'm still going to challenge myself and give my all to the wit's end.' Advertisement Then again, Benford was a sixth-round draft pick out of Division I-AA Villanova, while Cook was pedigreed, a second-round choice from FBS powerhouse Georgia. Cook is entering the final season of his four-year, $5.83 million rookie contract. He believes he has outperformed that deal. He rushed for 16 touchdowns last year, tying a club record, and scored twice more on receptions. Cook has been named to the past two Pro Bowl rosters. Cook contrarians note he signed the contract and should abide by it, that he ought to go out and prove his greatness with another great campaign before expecting a financial windfall. But NFL contracts aren't fully guaranteed like in other leagues. It's funny how critics don't rail against a team's so-called contractual obligations when it cuts a player such as popular center Mitch Morse, whose salary is no longer palatable. The controversy is reinforced by the debate over whether running backs are worth big bucks in the first place. Cook is not a three-down back given his liability as a pass-blocker. Buffalo is hesitant to invest so much into an incomplete back. 'James wants what he wants,' Bills running back Ty Johnson said Saturday, 'and that's all there is to it. 'He's a man about his business, about his money. That's how I leave it. I'm just worried about myself and what I can do for this team.' Cook learned about football business from his big brother, Dalvin Cook. Perhaps the most important lesson is that a running back's shelf life is preciously short. Dalvin Cook, about to turn 25 at the time, squabbled with the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. After he rushed for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first Pro Bowl season, Dalvin threatened to hold out if his rookie contract wasn't extended before the season. Dalvin showed up to training camp, got a five-year, $63 million contract and made three more Pro Bowls before the Vikings cut him for money reasons. Dalvin soon became a whisper of a runner, scuffling through the past two seasons with three clubs, including time on the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys practice squads. Advertisement 'There's the huge business piece to this game,' Allen said. 'It's the hardest part. A lot of people don't understand it. 'This is generational stuff. It's wealth for you and your family. It's not a small chunk of change.' Buffalo's running backs all enjoyed their moments Saturday. Davis started and had the worst day as a runner, but probably the most entertaining. He rushed four times for only 7 yards and caught one pass for 7 yards, but he kicked an extra point with Tyler Bass sidelined by pelvic soreness. Johnson had three carries for 26 yards and didn't see any targets. Frank Gore Jr. ran five times for 21 yards and caught a team-high five passes for 50 yards. Darrynton Evans ran twice for 4 yards but added two receptions for 14 yards, including a 7-yard TD from quarterback Mike White in the fourth quarter. Fullback Reggie Gilliam made a 19-yard catch. Everybody knows, however, that any of those backs will have difficulty replacing what Cook can do. 'James is one-of-a-kind,' Davis said. 'There's a very few amount of guys who's breaking 75-yard runs in NFL, and he's one of those guys. To see how special he is when he has the ball in his hands, he does a lot for this organization. He does a lot for this running back room. 'So to have him continue to be out here definitely is a good thing for the Buffalo Bills.' That would be best for the team and its Super Bowl aspirations. The Bills better hope Cook's decision to warm up is a metaphor for a thaw in negotiations. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Dak Prescott says ‘Eleven is Cowboy' after Micah Parsons doesn't attend practice
OXNARD, Calif. — For the first time since the Dallas Cowboys arrived in California for training camp, Micah Parsons was not at Thursday's practice. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones also was not in attendance for what was Dallas' 11th camp practice. Jones does miss practices from time to time, so that's not nearly as notable as Parsons. Advertisement While leaving the field, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Parsons remains with the team. On Tuesday after the Cowboys and Rams held a joint practice, Jerry Jones said he was not confident Parsons would be on the field for Dallas' Week 1 matchup against Philadelphia. Dak Prescott spoke at length about Parsons and his contract situation after Thursday's practice. The Cowboys franchise quarterback has been in Parsons' spot twice. Both times resulted in him getting record-setting deals. As ugly as things can get during negotiations, Prescott pointed out how quickly the relationship can be repaired. 'At the end of the day, it is business,' Prescott said. 'We can't make something business personal. I think when you do that, that's where the division comes. … Once that business deal happens, you can move forward.' Prescott never got to a point where he requested a trade. Has Parsons recently doing that led to Prescott thinking about the possibility of Parsons not being his teammate? 'No, not necessarily,' he said. 'I think if I wouldn't have been in his shoes, and watched other guys be in his shoes and get rewarded, maybe. But I've got faith in the Joneses and the team as I do in Micah and his team. 'Eleven is a Cowboy.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Reuters
3 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Bills' Josh Allen on James Cook: 'We desperately want him out there'
August 7 - Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen said he wants the best for James Cook while the star running back seeks a new contract. So while Cook sits idly by in the midst of an effective "hold-in" at training camp, Allen told reporters that the running back is missed on the field while the team prepares for the upcoming season. "James is who he is," Allen said. "He's one of the best running backs in the league. It would be crazy not to say we want him out there. We desperately want him out there with us and hopefully something can get done." Entering the final year of his contract, Cook set a franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a single season with 16 in 2024. He has 2,638 rushing yards since the Bills drafted him in 2022. Cook, 25, is entering the last year of a rookie contract that is worth a total of $5.8 million. "At the end of the day, there is this huge business piece to this game," Allen said. "It's the hardest part. A lot of people don't understand it. ... This is generational stuff. It's wealth for you and your family. It's not a small chunk of change. "He's making sure that he's healthy and still going through the mental reps. He's still doing that. He's a pro and he knows what he's doing." Cook has rushed for 2,638 yards and 20 touchdowns and caught 97 passes for 883 yards and seven scores in 49 games since being drafted in the second round in 2022. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cam Heyward isn't fully practicing, wants a revised contract
Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward hasn't been a full participant in practice at training camp and it's not because the team is dialing back the workload of a proven veteran. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Heyward is looking for a raise as he heads into his 15th season in Pittsburgh. Heyward received $13.45 million of his $14.75 million in compensation for 2025 via a roster bonus and he is under contract for $14.5 million for the 2026 season. Most of that money is also due to come as a roster bonus and none of it is guaranteed. Per the report, Heyward and the Steelers have had talks about reworking the deal but they have not made progress toward a new agreement. The Steelers have a policy of not negotiating during the season, so the two sides may be running low on time for that to change before the calendar flips to 2026.
