Student Athlete Unions Pose ‘Existential Threat’ to College Sports: House Republicans

In the wake of Dartmouth College’s men’s basketball team’s vote to form the first-ever student-athlete bargaining unit, House Republicans are warning that unionization poses an “existential threat” to the future of college sports. On Tuesday, a House panel heard testimonies concerning the implications of a recent ruling by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a federal agency charged with enforcing labor laws. In the ruling, an NLRB regional director found that Dartmouth’s basketball players are school employees and should have the right to collectively bargain. Dartmouth appealed the decision, and the case is now moved to federal court, a process that could take years and be decided long after the 15-member basketball team graduates. The players, meanwhile, voted 13-2 in an NLRB-supervised election to join a union that already represents some Dartmouth employees....