In a significant development for college athletes, a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regional official ruled on Monday that basketball players at Dartmouth College are employees of the institution. This landmark decision paves the way for the creation of the first-ever labor union for NCAA athletes. All 15 members of the Dartmouth men's basketball team had signed a petition in September to join the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 560, which already represents some employees at the Ivy League school.
Unionizing would give the players the opportunity to negotiate not only their salaries but also their working conditions, including practice hours and travel arrangements. NLRB Regional Director Laura Sacks wrote in her ruling that since Dartmouth has the right to control the work performed by the basketball team, and the players receive compensation for their performance, they meet the definition of employees under the National Labor Relations Act.
