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<h3><a href="/go=news.detail&gid=453548" target="_blank">
UFC responds to Culinary Union announcement
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<a href="/go=news.detail&gid=453548" ><img class="photo" src="http://img.mixedmartialarts.com/method=get&rs=100&q=75&x=0&y=0&w=310&h=165&ro=0&s=union.jpg" /></a>
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<p>The notorious <a class="Newslink" href="http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma.cfm?go=news.search&phrase=Culinary%20Union">Culinary Union</a>, aided by The Teamsters, is apparently going to try to organize UFC fighters. This comes on the heels of their effort to <a href="http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/452932/Crazy-union-fails-in-bid-to-block-UFC-fountain/" target="_blank">block a fountain at a proposed new UFC headquarters</a> and of course their years-long effort to keep the sport out of New York.</p>
Now the UC has issued a formal statement.
“The modern era of the UFC has seen incredible gains in athlete safety and compensation along with the mainstream success of a once marginalized sport. We are proud of this amazing record and consider it extremely duplicitous that the same labor union that has spent years demeaning UFC athletes, denouncing the sport of mixed martial arts, and doing everything possible to keep MMA out of New York, is now claiming to care about the interests of athletes in the UFC,” read the statement to MMAWeekly.com.
“Indeed, UFC has spent considerable time and effort defending against the outrageous allegations by this local union about athletes who have chosen to compete in the UFC. This is nothing more than the newest brazen tactic in a failing effort to organize culinary workers at a Las Vegas casino. It is shameful that local union leaders would try to use UFC athletes as pawns to advance this hidden agenda.
“We are proud of our relationship with all athletes who have entered into contracts with the UFC, and we are proud to produce a product that is enjoyed by millions of fans around the world.”
A union might be great for the fighters, but headed by the Culinary union? Seriously? So if they can charge fighters funds to use against other industries like their doing in their own? It's hilarious how many supposedly pro-fighter people on this board are supporting the culinary union and their activities.
So, will they be creating a union for UFC fighters or all pro MMA fighters in any org?
While I think a fighters union can be both good and bad, if they only go after UFC fighters, it will only further prove that this is just another way for them to try and stick it to Station Casinos.
A fighters' association could be a good thing, but if not set up properly by experts, it will be harmful to everyone involved, including us fans.
The Culinary Union is shady, and their focus has always been on restaurant and hospitality workers (H.E.R.E).
Nobody can truly believe that they are suddenly going to negotiate fairly and ethically for these 'human cock-fighters'. They hate the UFC and the entire sport! They don't even understand it, but they sure will take those union dues, along with all the opportunities to fuck with Zuffa.
Once they get in, it is extremely hard to get them out.
If you think it is hard to get deals done and the fights booked that we as fans want to see, just wait until the Culinary Union gets involved. Gives me a headache thinking about it.
If fighters want to get a union together cool. Go talk to MLBPA, NBAPA, NFLPA, NHLPA etc. They would have a MUCH better understanding of unionizing as professional athletes than the Cullinary Union. The CU doesn't give two shits about the sport of MMA they are just pissed because they can't get dues from the thousands of employees of the station casinos. The CU are a bunch of money hungry politicians that don't give two shits about the workers just getting more dues to line their pockets.
