Players Will Vote on Union April 25
Persa: Colter Performed "Sneak Attack" on Players,
Actions Are "Unfair" to Coach Fitzgerald
Last
Saturday, Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald talked at last about
the union situation and the NLRB ruling in favor of the players.
Speaking to BTN in front of a couple dozen fans at an open spring
practice at Lakeside Field, Fitzgerald said, "[being silent until now]
has been a challenge, but that's what we're talking to our young men
about now... educating them to the best of our ability... There's
obviously a critically important vote that's coming up not only impacts
our young men, but the future young men of college football, and we
want to make sure that they have all of the information."
Fitzgerald continued: "I am very proud of [the players] for trying to
work for national change." However, Fitzgerald had told the BTN
before the practice that he was going to encourage the team to vote no
for unionization.
During BTN's broadcast, former quarterback Dan Persa described Kain Colter's effort
to get other players to sign union cards as a "sneak attack" and the players' subsequent actions as "unfair" to Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald also commented about where the players are in their spring
practice schedule, noting that the team "is going to be behind coming
out of spring from some scrimmage-type things," because of a lot of
post season surgeries and current rehab.
Trevor Siemian and Matt Alviti, throwing during Saturday's
practice at Lakeside Field [BTN Image]
Mr. Colter goes to Washington [AP Photo]
NLRB ALLOWS UNION
It
was a decision that sent shock waves throughout college sports.
The Chicago office of the National Labor Relations Board ruled that NU
players are university employees first, students second...
