When the votes were tallied on Tuesday, Dartmouth’s men’s basketball team unanimously decided to unionize in a groundbreaking Election on the Hanover campus in New Hampshire, with a vote of 13-2. This decision marks a significant turning point for college Sports, athletes’ rights, and the NCAA’s stance on amateurism. However, the process is far from complete.
With the basketball players now represented by Service Employees International Union Local 560, they have the ability to collectively bargain with Dartmouth over issues such as pay, practice hours, and working conditions. Dartmouth has already filed an appeal challenging the ruling that the athletes are employees of the school, which must be addressed.
The school has five days to file any objections to the election results, with the possibility of the union being certified as the players’ bargaining representative if no objections are raised. However, Dartmouth has expressed its belief that the players are not employees and thus, unionization is not appropriate.
The appeal process is expected to be lengthy and may require multiple levels of review before resolution. With the potential for the case to reach the National Labor Relations Board and beyond, the outcome remains uncertain. The landscape of college sports and athletes’ rights could undergo significant changes as a result of this ongoing battle.
