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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCollege athletes can unionize, federal agency says
CHICAGO (AP) In a ruling that could revolutionize college sports, a federal agency has given football players at Northwestern University the green light to unionize.
Wednesday's landmark ruling by a regional director of National Labor Relations Board means the players are deemed employees under federal law and so can create the nation's first college athletes' union.
Union lawyers argued the Big Ten school's football players are part of a commercial enterprise that generates hefty profits through their labor.
The NCAA, Big Ten Conference and the private school vehemently opposed the union drive. Northwestern argued that college athletes are students and can't be put in the same category as factory workers.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/college-athletes-can-unionize-federal-agency-says
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)Aristus
(66,368 posts)they damn-well have the right, and even the duty, to organize.
WhaTHellsgoingonhere
(5,252 posts)So up goes tuition...
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)okaawhatever
(9,462 posts)Bonx
(2,053 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)Calista241
(5,586 posts)A significant majority of student athletes are athletes in the non-revenue sports (all sports except football and basketball). Most schools athletic departments are heavily subsidized, and do not make money period. Alabama, USC, Ohio State and Texas are the exception.
Can universities afford to pay all student athletes, or just the ones playing revenue sports? What if the revenue sports aren't making a whole lot of revenue? Do the athletic departments of NC State, Rutgers, Boise State or Utah make enough money to pay a wage to their student athletes?
Lasher
(27,597 posts)A spokesman for the players says their first priority is making sure their medical needs are met. I don't know how that might evolve into income but I guess we'll see.
AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)However title 9 is out there.