| NEWS College athletes would be defined as employees who could collectively bargain if new Senate bill becomes law - CBS Sports

[SEC Sports]

College athletes would be defined as employees who could collectively bargain if new Senate bill becomes law

The athletes' rights movement would take a monumental step if this legislation is eventually passed

www.cbssports.com

College athletes would be able to collectively bargain for basic labor rights if a new Congressional bill introduced Thursday morning eventually becomes law. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) have sponsored the College Athlete Right To Organize Act in the Senate. The bill defines "any college athlete as an employee if they receive direct compensation" from their school in terms of scholarship money.

The bill would prohibit any scholarship that would keep an athlete from collectively bargaining for their rights. In theory, if the bill becomes law, players would be able to have a say in their working conditions. Companion legislation was also introduced in the House of Representatives.

The language of the bill would amend the National Labor Relations Act. Previously, the National Labor Relations Board chose not to certify Northwestern players as employees when they attempted to unionize in 2015.

It's not clear how the bill would impact the implementation of ongoing name, image and likeness legislation.

"Big time college sports hasn't been 'amateur' for a long time," Murphy and Sanders said in a statement, "and the NCAA has long denied its players economic and bargaining rights while treating them like commodities."

A portion of the bill reads as follows:

"College athletes face exploitative and unfair labor practices by the National Collegiate Athletic Association ... (NCAA) and its member institutions, primarily through the denial of the basic economic and labor rights of such athletes, which the NCAA and its member institutions have justified by defining college athletes as amateurs.

"The NCAA and its member institutions have denied college athletes a fair wage for their labor by colluding to cap compensation; they maintain strict and exacting control over the terms and conditions of college athletes' labor; and they exercise the ability to terminate an athlete's eligibility to compete if the athlete violates these terms and conditions. [...]

"To establish more equitable terms and conditions for college athletes' labor, college athletes need representation of their own choosing to negotiate collective-bargaining agreements with their respective colleges and the athletic conferences that help set rules and standards across an entire league."

Earlier this year, Murphy introduced the College Athlete Economic Freedom Act, aimed at giving athletes their NIL rights.

 

[94 Grad]

So would those same players now have to pay taxes on the value of the scholarships?
What about the cost of the coaching, does that value get added into the taxes due?

I think this "unionizing" is a bad idea.

 

[BamaFan334]

So would those same players now have to pay taxes on the value of the scholarships?
What about the cost of the coaching, does that value get added into the taxes due?

I think this "unionizing" is a bad idea.

If I'm 1099'd over a gift from work over $25, then these guys are so screwed, unless there is a law passed. Cooking their own goose and don't even realize it. Been saying it for years now.

 

[PurlJam]

I'm saying this as fact and not an opinion...I spent 27 years in the IBEW and USW...if this bill passes it will be a total disaster...every plant I've ever been in that had a union had some of the sorriest workers I've ever seen...this will be the mindset they will have to deal with.

 

[Rolltide24]

I hear you Purl. I did a summer job at Browns Ferry during college. They had this huge break room/cafeteria. The electricians and pipefitters would come in, get their coffee in there and some would never leave. Would work 10-12 hour shifts making more in OT than regular pay and never lift a hand. I’d never seen anything like that before. We’d put in an order for something and they’d put it on their schedule, which meant they’d get to it whenever they wanted. A good friend’s dad was there and had been 30 years or so, they lived in a nice house, always new cars, pool, all that. He was one of the electricians… Great guy, it was just the culture.

 

[RTB Twitter Bot]

 

[PurlJam]

I hear you Purl. I did a summer job at Browns Ferry during college. They had this huge break room/cafeteria. The electricians and pipefitters would come in, get their coffee in there and some would never leave. Would work 10-12 hour shifts making more in OT than regular pay and never lift a hand. I’d never seen anything like that before. We’d put in an order for something and they’d put it on their schedule, which meant they’d get to it whenever they wanted. A good friend’s dad was there and had been 30 years or so, they lived in a nice house, always new cars, pool, all that. He was one of the electricians… Great guy, it was just the culture.

Know exactly what you mean....back in the day I was an E/I journeyman at 2 of Alabama Power’s plants.

 

[SoCalPatrick]

 

[OldPlayer]

A bill introduced by two Senators who have no major college sports in their states (CT has UCONN but they haven’t been relevant for years). It will be interesting to see how representatives from CA, TX, AL, FL, VA, OH, MI, NE, OK, AZ, CO, WA, TN, KY, WV, NC, SC, GA, MD, PA and NY respond.

 

[TerryP]

A bill introduced by two Senators who have no major college sports in their states (CT has UCONN but they haven’t been relevant for years). It will be interesting to see how representatives from CA, TX, AL, FL, VA, OH, MI, NE, OK, AZ, CO, WA, TN, KY, WV, NC, SC, GA, MD, PA and NY respond.

The Senate's "national version" doesn't benefit the athletes as much as the ones passed in the states the attorney is tweeting about (as I read this.)

California, as example, has one passed but it doesn't start until 2023. Do they change their timeline? If a state has a version better the one from the fed's, do they change theirs (diminish their bills benefits?)

 

[rick4bama]

So if a player get hurt, he can get workmen/work person comp.? Asking for my friend!