I'm sure this will turn out well
For the first time in the history of college sports, athletes are asking to be represented by a labor union, taking formal steps on Tuesday to begin the process of being recognized as employees, ESPN's "Outside The Lines" has learned.
Ramogi Huma, president of the National College Players Association, filed a petition in Chicago on behalf of football players at Northwestern University, submitting the form at the regional office of the National Labor Relations Board.
Backed by the United Steelworkers union, Huma also filed union cards signed by an undisclosed number of Northwestern players with the NLRB -- the federal statutory body that recognizes groups that seek collective bargaining rights.
"This is about finally giving college athletes a seat at the table," said Huma, a former UCLA linebacker, who created the NCPA as an advocacy group in 2001. "Athletes deserve an equal voice when it comes to their physical, academic and financial protections."
Huma told "Outside The Lines" that the move to unionize players at Northwestern started with quarterback Kain Colter, who reached out to him last spring and asked for help in giving athletes representation in their effort to improve the conditions under which they play NCAA sports. Colter became a leading voice in regular NCPA-organized conference calls among players from around the country.
In a Sept. 21 game against Maine, Colter wore a black wristband with the hashtag "#APU" -- All Players United -- prominently scrawled in white marker as part of a quiet protest gesture. He was joined that day by about 10 teammates as well as players from Georgia and Georgia Tech. In all, players on seven teams in the five largest conferences displayed the #APU symbol, according to the NCPA.
Huma said he met with Northwestern players over the weekend on campus in Evanston, Ill., and took the next step in creating a collective voice for players. He said Colter introduced him to groups of players that Colter had talked with over the past couple of months about their interest in taking the unprecedented step of asking for union representation.
To have the NLRB consider a petition to be unionized, at least 30 percent of the members of a group serving an employer must sign union cards.
Huma declined to say how many Northwestern players signed cards other than the number was "overwhelming majority." To get to 30 percent, at least 26 of the 85 scholarship players had to sign.
The formal entity that would represent the players, if certified by the NLRB, is called the College Athletes Players Association (CAPA). It was created by Huma, Colter and Luke Bonner, a former U-Mass basketball player and brother of NBA player Matt Bonner, with technical support from the United Steelworkers, who will not receive union dues from players, said Huma, who is registered as president of the organization.
Rest of story
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10363430/outside-lines-northwestern-wildcats-football-players-trying-join-labor-union
Normally, I'm meh about unions. I'm all for this one. 
I'm on the fence. Players do deserve some type of compensation but with Unions involved I don't see this going well.
A lot of those cretins should just be grateful that they are getting a free education at an excellent university, but that's just my opinion.
Hired Gun - I'm on the fence. Players do deserve some type of compensation but with Unions involved I don't see this going well.
they do get comp
its called free education
I'm just going to leave these here:
Schooled:The Price of College Sports and then there's an article about APU by Patrick Hruby
PatK -They are at Northwestern. NU, Stanford, Notre Dame and a few others. The rest are minor league nfl teams and it's a joke
A lot of those cretins should just be grateful that they are getting a free education at an excellent university, but that's just my opinion.
It's hard to think of another group of people in America that are so blatantly ripped off and cheated by a national organization off of their hard work and talent.
These guys bring in hundreds of millions and get shit on if they are given an 84 Isuzu rodeo with a broken ac
T-Ham - It's hard to think of another group of people in America that are so blatantly ripped off and cheated by a national organization off of their hard work and talent.
These guys bring in hundreds of millions and get shit on if they are given an 84 Isuzu rodeo with a broken ac
It is?
Ever hear of the government?
I thought people collected more from the government for sitting on their collective asses in a day than a top tier NCAA athlete is allowed to receive without being severely punished
T-Ham - I thought people collected more from the government for sitting on their collective asses in a day than a top tier NCAA athlete is allowed to receive without being severely punished
Goddamn it dude, I was trying to be "deep" there.
Maybe I should have ended it with "Maaaaaaaaaan"
Fuck. Sorry. Voted up for whatever that's worth
Hired Gun - I'm on the fence. Players do deserve some type of compensation but with Unions involved I don't see this going well.
I don't see another option. They don't have a voice in the conversation. The NCAA and the schools don't want to provide any additional compensation, because they split the whole pie between them.
I don't know why coaches aren't more vocal about this, but they aren't. You pretty much just hear coaches complain when their programs get punished.
As badly as these kids have been ripped off (to the tune of hundreds of millions annually) you would think state and federal legislators would have stepped in. Even the securities and exchange commission, since the NCAA seems to be a monopoly.
But none of these entities have taken a stand for the athletes. So again, what are their options?
T-Ham - Fuck. Sorry. Voted up for whatever that's worth
LOL no problem