The National Football League Players Association said it will file a grievance against the New York Giants for the team’s suspension of Plaxico Burress, which the union says violated the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.

Burress, 31, was suspended four games and placed on the Giants’ non-football injury list, which means he can’t play again this season, after the wide receiver allegedly shot himself in the thigh with a handgun.

He won’t receive any pay and was also fined an undisclosed amount for breaching team rules, the Giants said yesterday.

“The NFLPA is still reviewing the actions taken by the New York Giants relating to Plaxico Burress, but we intend to file a grievance challenging those actions as we believe that Burress’ rights have been violated under the CBA,” the union said in a statement.

Burress, who signed a five-year, $35-million contract extension in September, appeared in a New York court on Monday charged with two counts of second-degree handgun possession after he allegedly shot himself accidentally in Manhattan’s Latin Quarter nightclub on Nov. 29. Each count carries a minimum jail term of 3 1/2 years.

Linebacker Antonio Pierce called a New York Giants trainer almost immediately after Burress accidentally shot himself and was told where to take the wounded receiver.

The Giants yesterday revealed key details about how Burress ended up at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center early Saturday. Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon said trainer Ronnie Barnes wanted Burress near the Hospital for Special Surgery, which is next door, in case the injury to his right thigh required any orthopedic work by team physicians.

ROUNDUP

VIKINGS SUSPENSIONS BLOCKED: A Minnesota judge has blocked the NFL’s suspension of Vikings stars Kevin and Pat Williams for violating the league’s anti-doping policy. Hennepin County District Judge Gary Larson issued a temporary restraining order at the players’ request yesterday, saying he wanted more time to hear arguments in the case. No further hearing date immediately was set. The Williamses were among six players suspended for four games for testing positive for a diuretic that can be used as a masking agent for steroids. They have argued that the substance containing the diuretic didn’t list all its ingredients. The Vikings are 7-5 and in first place in the NFC North, with the Williamses a big part of their success.

JACKSON EXPECTED TO PLAY: The Atlanta Falcons expect Grady Jackson to be available for Sunday’s game at New Orleans after the defensive tackle was not one of the players suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s anti-doping policy.Jackson was on a list of players accused of using a diuretic, which can serve as a masking agent for steroids. The NFL has requested more information from Jackson. Some players said the banned substance Bumetanide was not listed as an ingredient in StarCaps, an over-the-counter weight-loss pill. Jackson filed suit against StarCaps in Alameda County Superior Court in California last month, seeking restitution for any lost salary and damages for “false advertising and unfair business practices.”

NO WINTER ADVANTAGE FOR BILLS: If Jim Kelly had his way, the Miami Dolphins would always have to deal with wintry conditions when they traveled to play the Buffalo Bills. That’s why Kelly, who quarterbacked the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowl defeats, isn’t happy that the Bills won’t have the cold weather to help them when they face archrival Miami under the roof at Toronto’s Rogers Centre this weekend. Kelly and former Dolphins rival Dan Marino were in Toronto on Wednesday to host a series of Ontario high school bowl games and promote the first regular-season game of the “Bills in Toronto” series, an eight-game, $78-million agreement that runs through the 2012 season. The Toronto series has sparked questions of whether the Bills might relocate to Toronto permanently, with aging owner Wilson, now 90, eager to sort out his team’s future. Kelly, who is trying to line up an ownership bid, said he supports Toronto’s efforts for a team, but wants the Bills to remain in Buffalo. “I don’t think the team is going anywhere, to be honest with you,” Kelly said. “As long as I have anything to do with it, they’re going to stay in Western New York.”

SEAHAWK CENTER OUT: Seahawks center Chris Spencer will miss the rest of the season with a back injury. Spencer became the 11th Seattle player to land on injured reserve this season. Converted guard Steve Vallos will start on Sunday against New England. Coach Mike Holmgren said yesterday that Spencer has a disk problem in his back.