A group of Northwestern football players were denied a bid to unionize Monday by the National Labor Relations Board.
In an effort to be recognized as employees of the school, the players, led by their then-quarterback, Kain Colter, announced in January 2014 they would protest for players’ rights.
Focusing on the health of the athletes, the players called for protection of athletes who suffer injuries in the sport, ensuring no injured athlete would need to pay for treatment.
The Northwestern players also called for payment in addition to their athletic scholarships, which do not cover all expenses to attend college.
The NLRB decided to deny unionization since only 17 schools of the 125 eligible programs are private schools, therefore considered private-sector work places.
“Every school in the Big Ten, except Northwestern, is a state-run institution,” the NLRB said in a statement. “As the NCAA and conference maintain substantial control over individual teams, the Board held that asserting jurisdiction over a single team would not promote stability in labor relations across the league.”
Taylor Lehman
