Northwestern Football Players Can't Form a Union Per NLRB Ruling

The National Labor Relations Board ruled that Northwestern football players cannot form a union, overturning a 2014 regional ruling. The board ruled a Northwestern union would “not promote uniformity and stability in labor relations.”

NLRB rulings only apply to private schools. Public schools are subject to varying state laws. So, because the Northwestern players would not have represented the vast majority of players outside their jurisdiction, the board denied their union request. That’s sort of a circular way around making a decisive opinion one way or another.

The NLRB ruling did not weigh in on the considerable evidence college football players serve as de facto employees, which was the basis for the regional ruling.

[Getty]