Source: BroBible
Summary
Oregon State women’s basketball players have launched a formal effort to unionize and be recognized as state employees. Ten of the thirteen players on the team have signed union cards, seeking collective bargaining rights under state law. The United College Athletes Association (UCAA) is supporting the effort, with over 100 women’s basketball players from various schools signing unionization authorization cards.
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The routine arrives with confidence.
College athletes want a seat at the table, and they’re not just talking about the dinner table. They’re talking about the negotiating table. With unionization efforts popping up left and right, it’s clear that student-athletes are done with being treated like, well, students. They want to be treated like employees, with all the benefits and protections that come with it. And honestly, who can blame them?
Players from major schools are on board, including Maryland, LSU, and UCLA. Even the WNBA is getting in on the action, with Nneka Ogwumike and Cameron Brink joining the UCAA advisory board. It’s a movement, folks, and it’s not just about the Benjamins (although, let’s be real, it’s definitely about the Benjamins).
This isn’t the first time college athletes have tried to unionize, but it’s definitely the most organized effort yet. And with the NLRB ruling that Dartmouth College basketball players are employees, it’s clear that the tide is turning in favor of the athletes.
The lifestyle enters the chat: “We the players deserve more than promises.” Oluchi Okananwa, a Maryland basketball player and the interim president of the UCAA, said it best. It’s time for college athletes to stop being treated like amateur hour and start being treated like the professionals they are.
Author: Evan Null
