College Athletes Can Unionize

[Hwy 1 2,053]

 

"College Athletes Can Unionize, Federal Agency Says

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSMARCH 26, 2014, 3:30 P.M. E.D.T.


CHICAGO — In a stunning ruling that has the potential to revolutionize college athletics, a federal agency said Wednesday that football players at Northwestern University can create the nation's first college athlete's union.

The decision by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board means it agrees football players at the Big Ten school qualify as employees under federal law and therefore can legally unionize.

The Evanston, Ill-based university argued college athletes, as students, don't fit in the same category as factory workers, truck drivers and other unionized workers. The school plans to appeal to labor authorities in Washington, D.C.

Outgoing Wildcats quarterback Kain Colter took a leading role in establishing the College Athletes Players Association, or CAPA, which would take the lead in organizing the players. The United Steelworkers union has been footing the legal bills.

Colter, whose eligibility has been exhausted and who has entered the NFL draft, said nearly all of the 85 scholarship players on the Wildcats roster backed the union bid, though only he expressed his support publicly.

CAPA attorneys argued that college football is, for all practical purposes, a commercial enterprise that relies on players' labor to generate billions of dollars in profits. That, they contend, makes the relationship of schools to players one of employers to employees.

In its endeavor to have college football players be recognized as essential workers, CAPA likened scholarships to employment pay — too little pay from its point of view. Northwestern balked at that claim, describing scholarship as grants.

Giving college athletes employee status and allowing them to unionize, critics have argued, could hurt college sports in numerous ways — including by raising the prospects of strikes by disgruntled players or lockouts by athletic departments.

The NCAA has been under increasing scrutiny over its amateurism rules and is fighting a class-action federal lawsuit by former players seeking a cut of the billions of dollars earned from live broadcasts, memorabilia sales and video games. Other lawsuits allege the NCAA failed to protect players from debilitating head injuries.

NCAA President Mark Emmert has pushed for a $2,000-per-player stipend to help athletes defray some of expenses. Critics say that isn't nearly enough, considering players help bring in millions of dollars to their schools and conferences.

CAPA's specific goals include guaranteeing coverage of sports-related medical expenses for current and former players, ensuring better procedures to reduce head injuries and potentially letting players pursue commercial sponsorships.

For now, the push is to unionize athletes at private schools, such as Northwestern, because the federal labor agency does not have jurisdiction over public universities.

During the NLRB's five days of hearings in February, Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald took the stand for union opponents, and his testimony sometimes was at odds with Colter's.

Colter told the hearing that players' performance on the field was more important to Northwestern than their in-class performance, saying, "You fulfill the football requirement and, if you can, you fit in academics." Asked why Northwestern gave him a scholarship of $75,000 a year, he responded: "To play football. To perform an athletic service."

But Fitzgerald said he tells players academics come first, saying, "We want them to be the best they can be ... to be a champion in life."

An attorney representing the university, Alex Barbour, noted Northwestern has one of the highest graduation rates for college football players in the nation, around 97 percent. Barbour insisted, "Northwestern is not a football factory.""

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2014/03/26/us/ap-us-college-athletes-union.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

 

 

[Rayl 527]

Woah. That's a game changer. At least until the appeal to the courts.

[Hwy 1 2,053]

College sports as we know them may soon be a thing of the past.

[Hovadipo 56,248]

This process will take forever, but hopefully it changes things for the better.


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[EvilleAngler 636]

END OF THE NCAA???????????????? 

[eddiejsmall 37]

Like Rabjohn's said-- If that means college players can unionize so can high school players...


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[ElectricBoogaloo 4,307]

"This is only the beginning. As expected, Northwestern announced it will appeal the decision to the NLRB national office. After that, it will be on to federal court, and it will be years before anything is finalized. But the NCAA is being chipped away at from all angles, and it feels like it's only a matter of time before the whole thing crumbles down."

 

http://deadspin.com/northwestern-football-players-are-trying-to-unionize-1510639551/1552219854/+barryap

[ElectricBoogaloo 4,307]

Like Rabjohn's said-- If that means college players can unionize so can high school players...


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I don't believe so because the decision was based on viewing scholarships as compensation.

[Kilroy 271]

also only applies to private schools. 

[Naturalhoosier 15,434]

[quote name="eddiejsmall" post="54048" timestamp="1395863655"]Like Rabjohn's said-- If that means college players can unionize so can high school players...


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Would age become an issue for high schoolers? Can an individual under the legal adult age of 18 be in a union? I don't know how it works.


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[bronkonagurski 894]

So if scholarships come to be considered compensation then doesn't that introduce possible tax implications for these guys?  You think the IRS wouldn't like a bit more revenue?  ;)

[Banksyrules 4,802]

So if scholarships come to be considered compensation then doesn't that introduce possible tax implications for these guys?  You think the IRS wouldn't like a bit more revenue?  ;)

Not all of them are looking for salaries, at least that's what I'm hearing from my Northwestern friends.  It's more of a sense of getting paid if you get a life long injury(like football injuries), or having the ability to hold a scholarship longer then one year.  

 

I'm for that considering a lot of athletes just get bumped to the side for the next great athlete.  That's how the SEC dominates so much in football, because they regularly kick people out to the curb, who can't afford to pay tuition on their own.  

[Hovadipo 56,248]

[quote name="Banksyrules" post="54254" timestamp="1395883636"]Not all of them are looking for salaries, at least that's what I'm hearing from my Northwestern friends. It's more of a sense of getting paid if you get a life long injury(like football injuries), or having the ability to hold a scholarship longer then one year. I'm for that considering a lot of athletes just get bumped to the side for the next great athlete. That's how the SEC dominates so much in football, because they regularly kick people out to the curb, who can't afford to pay tuition on their own. [/quote] From what I've read, it isn't about getting paid at all. They just want better medical insurance from the school and when they stop playing, the rest of their school is paid for. That's more than fair if you ask me. Kain Coulter(sp?) was on sportscenter this evening talking about it and he made some great points. Edit: Didn't mean to quote you Banksy. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

[bronkonagurski 894]

Not all of them are looking for salaries, at least that's what I'm hearing from my Northwestern friends.  It's more of a sense of getting paid if you get a life long injury(like football injuries), or having the ability to hold a scholarship longer then one year.  

 

I'm for that considering a lot of athletes just get bumped to the side for the next great athlete.  That's how the SEC dominates so much in football, because they regularly kick people out to the curb, who can't afford to pay tuition on their own.  

 

I understand that but if you become classified as an actual employee of the university then I would think the scholarship itself could be categorized as their "salary" for tax purposes.  I'm just wondering if that could be an unintended consequence of these efforts even if getting formally paid above and beyond a scholarship is not their top priority. 

[Banksyrules 4,802]

[quote name="bronkonagurski" post="54264" timestamp="1395884230"]I understand that but if you become classified as an actual employee of the university then I would think the scholarship itself could be categorized as their "salary" for tax purposes. I'm just wondering if that could be an unintended consequence of these efforts even if getting formally paid above and beyond a scholarship is not their top priority. [/quote]

I don't think it will happen. It's a long way down the road but I would think that the IRS would come up with a classification group for them. Like how churches and nonprofits don't get taxed under certain circumstances. But who knows its at least ten years from reality.



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[CampHoosier 3,697]

Doesn't this mean their scholarships are taxable income? Serious question

[Hovadipo 56,248]

On the scholarships being taxable income: Since scholarships are considered student aid grants, the scholarships are exempt from being taxed by the government. Even if the players unionize, they will still be considered scholarships and not salary. That can only be changed by congress or the IRS. And it is very unlikely that would happen. If the (hypothetical) player's union eventually gets a salary (say, $300 a week per player), that will be taxed. This is all summarizing what Lester Munson said on Mike and Mike this morning. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

[Bk4life 190]

Unions destroying college sports...gotta love unions...anything they can do to make a buck for those at the top....this is like enacting Obamacare and ruining everyones healthcare instead of just finding a way to take care of the 8 million who need it for one reason or another and leaving the rest of us alone........The NCAA needs to step in and allow some sort of stipend per month for the college athlete and make sure they are covered for injuries incurred while playing....simple......Here is another thought....this will have to apply to ALL college athletes so who are we going to submit to the Olympics exactly? If you are getting paid, you cannot join the Olympic team...Just a complete circle jerk all around but to be expected from career progressives....NLRB is a complete shill for progressives and unions....I will enjoy seeing some colleges just shut down athletics when they see how much it costs them...take that unions....

[CampHoosier 3,697]

Unions destroying college sports...gotta love unions...anything they can do to make a buck for those at the top....this is like enacting Obamacare and ruining everyones healthcare instead of just finding a way to take care of the 8 million who need it for one reason or another and leaving the rest of us alone........The NCAA needs to step in and allow some sort of stipend per month for the college athlete and make sure they are covered for injuries incurred while playing....simple......Here is another thought....this will have to apply to ALL college athletes so who are we going to submit to the Olympics exactly? If you are getting paid, you cannot join the Olympic team...Just a complete circle jerk all around but to be expected from career progressives....NLRB is a complete shill for progressives and unions....I will enjoy seeing some colleges just shut down athletics when they see how much it costs them...take that unions....

 

A great way to absolutely kill a thread is to spew your political beliefs on a sports site. Come on man

[Frodaddy10 83]

Makes perfect sense to me. Not sure how using a proper comparison is spewing ideology. <br /><br /><br />Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners