Wapsi Square Forum

The Daily Beast wrote: 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.

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."