Dartmouth Men’s Basketball Team Makes History by Voting to Unionize
In a groundbreaking move that could have far-reaching implications for college sports, the Dartmouth men’s basketball team has voted to unionize, becoming the first college athletes to form a labor union. The election, supervised by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), took place at the school’s human resources offices, with all 15 members of the team participating. The players voted 13-2 in favor of joining the Service Employees International Union Local 560, which already represents some Dartmouth employees.
“This is a big day for our team,” said Dartmouth juniors Cade Haskins and Romeo Myrthil, who have been leading the effort. “We stuck together all season and won this election. It’s time for the age of amateurism to end.”
The vote comes as another blow to the NCAA’s amateur business model, which has been under scrutiny in recent years. Court decisions allowing college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness, as well as receive living expenses, have already challenged the traditional framework. The Dartmouth players’ decision to unionize could have a domino effect on other cases across the country, potentially leading to further changes in college sports.
The ability of Dartmouth players to unionize stems from a ruling by an NLRB regional director last month, which classified them as university employees. The school has appealed the decision, and the case could end up in federal court, a process that could take years. The director determined that although the players don’t receive athletic scholarships, their compensation in the form of free gear, tickets, and other support qualifies them as employees.
Dartmouth strongly disagrees with this classification, stating that academics are of primary importance for Ivy League students who are varsity athletes. The school argues that classifying athletes as employees solely based on their participation in basketball is unprecedented and inaccurate.
The NCAA also maintains its stance that college athletes are not employees. The association acknowledges the need for significant reforms in college sports but believes that some issues, such as the classification of athletes as employees, should be addressed by Congress. Last fall, over two dozen college athletic conferences called for federal legislation regarding name, image, and likeness, as well as a uniform standard across college sports.
The debate surrounding college athletes’ employment status has gained momentum in recent years. While many schools and players are in favor of providing more benefits, the idea of being considered employees is not widely supported. NCAA President Charlie Baker stated that student-athlete advisory councils have expressed support for compensation and enhanced educational benefits but not employment.
The issue of whether college athletes should be treated as employees or if changes should be made to reduce the control coaches and athletic departments have over their lives will likely fall on schools to decide in the absence of federal intervention.
The unionization of college athletes also raises questions about the future of other nonsports programs on campus. If athletes are considered employees, what about student orchestras, pep bands, theatrical productions, ballet, and choruses? These are all areas that could potentially be affected by the precedent set by the Dartmouth case.
While the NLRB’s decision in the Dartmouth case only applies to private universities, a similar case being reviewed by the NLRB’s regional office in Los Angeles could have broader implications. The petitioner argues that athletes at USC are jointly employed by their school, conference, and the NCAA. If this case leads to a ruling in favor of collective bargaining for all college athletes at private universities, it could significantly impact the relationship between athletes and associations or conferences.
As the debate continues, it is clear that the landscape of college sports is evolving. The unionization of the Dartmouth men’s basketball team marks a significant milestone and could pave the way for further changes in how college athletes are treated and compensated. Only time will tell how this historic decision will shape the future of college sports.
