In a move that could redefine the landscape of college sports, recent proposals in the Michigan House of Representatives seek to allow student-athletes at state universities to unionize. Democratic lawmakers argue that these bills would grant student-athletes more power in negotiating terms that affect their lives and contributions to their institutions.
This proposed legislation aims to reclassify student-athletes as employees of their universities, rather than as amateurs. Such a change would pave the way for union negotiations on matters like revenue sharing, work conditions, and name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements.
Former Michigan State University football player and current Representative Joe Tate (D-Detroit) supports the bills, emphasizing the need for student-athletes to have a say in their work environment and potentially share in the profits from ticket sales and broadcast deals. “It’s this revenue coming in, and just kind of that explosion there, and student-athletes not being able to take advantage of that,” Tate stated.
The initiative comes in the wake of a settlement between the NCAA and Division 1 schools, including Michigan State University, on revenue sharing with student-athletes.
Earlier this year, the National Labor Relations Board, influenced by the Trump administration, withdrew a 2021 memo that recognized college athletes as “employees” with rights to collective bargaining. This move also saw the dismissal of the NLRB attorney who had supported that classification.
According to Thomas Dieters, an expert in negotiating NIL deals for college athletes, including Michigan State University’s women’s gymnastics team, the influx of money into college sports necessitates a shift in perception. “Welcome to the future because now that there’s billions of dollars pouring into these schools, these athletic departments for sports entertainment, it is professional,” Dieters noted. “The schools and the leagues and the NCAA, they just have to come to that realization and admit it, this is professional sports.”
The proposed bills would permit student-athletes to form labor unions and engage in collective bargaining and strengthen NIL deal rights. However, the legislation does not address academic eligibility or student status for play.
State Representative Carry Rheingans (D-Ann Arbor), who sponsors the bills, stated that the lack of specific terms is intentional to allow stakeholders to negotiate the details. “That’s so the students and their labor organizers and the universities and the athletic departments would be able to negotiate the terms of the contract,” Rheingans explained. “I don’t want to dictate the terms of the contract because it’s for the experts, the people who are living this life to negotiate the terms of the contract.”
Rheingans also highlighted that even athletes from smaller universities could benefit from the legislation through negotiations over ticket revenue, training conditions, and medical benefits.
While Democrats push for these changes, Republicans who hold sway in the Michigan House express skepticism. Representative Gerald Van Woerkom (R-Norton Shores) voiced concerns, stating, “I think there’s a lot of questions about NIL deals right now. I don’t think anyone’s looking to expand things to let student-athletes have a union representing them.”
