In Reply to: The problem is ... posted by mh on May 26, 2025 at 15:21:11
the other problem is that to have effective collective bargaining you must have a collective of the workers. Reason it works is there are laws. They define what can and cannot be negotiated and they mandate a system. Designed to limit the power of labor of course but still, a system.
Petitions with a specified percentage of the employees must be submitted calling for collective bargaining and nominating a group - union - to represent all the employees in negotiations. Employees can form their own group or nominate an existing union outside the workplace to represent them. Nominated organizations then participate in an election which is overseen by a labor relations board (LRB). In the absence of a bargaining law, it's pure chaos out there. Again. Still. And the law really has to be national to cover players (employees) in multiple states or each state will offer different rules and limits hoping that THEIR players will wind up making more money than other states' players.
There can also be appeals filed with the LRB seeking to define the bargaining unit. Do they want the male and female athletes in the same bargaining unit? (I bet not.) Does football want to be in the same unit as everyone else? What about basketball and women's gymnastics? Softball and Beach Volleyball and men's Volleyball? Track and Field and Swimming and Diving and Water Polo?
And of course what about the Power 4 as opposed to everyone else? And what if the top football schools step out by themselves, name a commissioner and start competing outside the whole NCAA operation? (Many believe that's coming anyway.) Easiest to work that - the new organization - let's say 50-60 schools involved - sets its own rules and if any state legislatures object that state's schools simply aren't allowed in. That should shut that up pretty quick.
But then what about everyone else, every other school in football and every other sport all over the country?
A gordian knot made of steel rather than rope.
Congress is going to have to act sooner or later or the whole house of cards is likely to collapse, I'm afraid.
But thanks for posting the link. An excellent interview I think.
Maybe the most significant question of all: didn't Woods have a beard????