In a recent development, Dartmouth College has announced its decision not to engage in collective bargaining with the union that its men's basketball players voted to join earlier this month. This move by the school has the potential to escalate the situation to federal court.
The school firmly stated its position, emphasizing that it does not consider athletes in the Ivy League as employees. This stance comes after a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board ruled that Dartmouth basketball players should be classified as employees, allowing them to proceed with the unionization process.
Following the ruling, the players conducted a vote, with a decisive 13-2 outcome in favor of joining the Service Employees International Union Local 560.
Dartmouth, known for its longstanding commitment to athletics as an integral part of its academic mission, expressed strong disagreement with the regional director's decision. The school views the players as students whose educational experience includes participation in athletics.
The college is now seeking a review of the regional director's ruling by the full board. Should the NLRB decline to overturn the decision, Dartmouth may resort to a technical refusal to bargain, a step that has not been taken in its history of labor negotiations.
This potential refusal to bargain could prompt SEIU Local 560 to file an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB, leading to a subsequent appeal by Dartmouth. The school sees this as a necessary course of action to have the matter reviewed by a federal court.
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