Dec. 11 (Bloomberg) -- The National Football League Players Association will file a grievance against the New York Giants for failing to pay $1 million due yesterday to suspended wide receiver Plaxico Burress.

The union will attempt to recover the money, a portion of the 31-year-old’s signing bonus, union spokesman Carl Francis said in an e-mail. The Giants declined to discuss the terms of Burress’s contract.

Burress was suspended without pay for four games Dec. 2 and placed on the non-football injury list, which prevents him from appearing for the Giants again until next season. He was also fined an undisclosed amount for breaching team rules, the Giants said.

Two days ago, the union filed a grievance claiming the suspension was excessive. The disciplinary action violated the National Football League’s collective bargaining agreement, according to the union.

Burress was charged with two criminal counts of second- degree handgun possession Dec. 1 that could bring him a minimum of 3 1/2 years in jail.

Burress was wounded in the leg when a gun he was allegedly carrying accidentally discharged while he and teammate Antonio Pierce were at the Latin Quarter nightclub in New York.

Burress, who scored the winning touchdown in February’s Super Bowl, signed a five-year, $35 million contract extension in September.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nancy Kercheval in Washington at nkercheval@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: December 11, 2008 00:12 EST