This is the kind of union we need...

[Fairportfan]

College Athletes Vote to Unionize
 

In a stunning move that could change the nature of college athletics, football players at Northwestern University filed a petition to unionize Tuesday morning. The players are seeking collective bargaining rights with the National Labor Relations Board. Ramogia Huma, president of the National College Players Association, submitted paperwork including signed union cards to the NLRB. Huma said he was approached by Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter last spring, asking for help to give players representation. If approved by the NLRB, the College Athletes Players Association would not receive union dues from players.

<original story at ESPN here>

...anything to mess up the college football industry.
 
==========================

Oh, wow.
 
From the ESPN story:
 

The NCAA responded with a statement from Chief Legal Officer Donald Remy, who said "student-athletes are not employees within any definition of the National Labor Relations Act" and that there is no existing employment relationships between the "NCAA, its affiliated institutions or student-athletes."

"This union-backed attempt to turn student-athletes into employees undermines the purpose of college: an education," Remy said in the statement. "Student-athletes are not employees, and their participation in college sports is voluntary. We stand for all student-athletes, not just those the unions want to professionalize."

 
Wow.  I wonder how long he had to practise in front of a mirror to be able to say that bit i bolded with a straight face.

[jwhouk]

This is the way they're going to get this before the SCOTUS. It won't be too much to take the jump between this and the 14th Amendment.

[Catawampus]

I'm getting this information second-hand (at least) from somebody who actually follows college sports, but according to him some schools have started considering making their athletes semi-professional. They'll officially be going to school solely for the sports, and not for academic reasons. And they'll be paid somehow.

I'm not sure how accurate this report is, but I thought that I would mention it since it seems relevant.

[bmonk]

It's about time--considering (1) the sort of education most athletes, especially in the high-profile sports, seem to receive, (2) the obscene amounts of money the sports, and thus the athletes, bring in, which is not allowed to go to the students--only to the school and the coaches. Such as that athlete who was fined or suspended or whatever for selling his jacket for a few bucks. While the school can sell hundreds or thousands without batting an eye.