SOUTH BEND, Indiana – An unfair labor complaint was filed Thursday against the University of Notre Dame for classifying college athletes as “student-athletes.”
The complaint was filed with the National Labor Relations Board by a California-based group calling itself the College Basketball Players Association. He said Notre Dame is involved in unfair labor practices as defined by the National Labor Relations Act.
The complaint is similar to one filed against the University of Southern California last May by the NLRB’s Los Angeles office, alleging that players on the USC men’s and women’s basketball teams and the USC men’s and women’s basketball teams are employees and not “student-athletes” within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act.
Notre Dame cited its Statement of Principles for Intercollegiate Athletics in responding to a request for comment on the complaint, saying that athletics is “an integrated participant in and contributor to the educational mission of the University….”
“Clearly, Notre Dame’s athletic programs are part of – not separate from – our broader educational mission,” the school said. “We will vigorously defend our approach to ensure that being a ‘student-athlete’ accurately describes the educational and developmental experience our students receive at Notre Dame.”
A decision by an NLRB regional director in February cleared the way for the Dartmouth men’s basketball team to vote to join the union last month, although the school is contesting the decision.
This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story
