NLRB certifies union to represent Dartmouth basketball players

A Dartmouth Athletics banner hangs outside Alumni Gymnasium on the Dartmouth University campus in Hanover, N.H., Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Dartmouth basketball players vote Tuesday on whether to form a union. (AP Photo/Jimmy Golen) ap — Jimmy Golen

Dartmouth basketball players, including Cade Haskins, left, and Romeo Myrthil leave after voting in Hanover, N.H., Tuesday, March 5, 2024. The Dartmouth men's basketball team has voted to unionize, taking an unprecedented step toward forming the first-ever labor union for college athletes. (AP Photo/Jimmy Golen) Jimmy Golen

Dartmouth basketball players Cade Haskins, left, and Romeo Myrthil are shown in Hanover, N.H., Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Dartmouth basketball players vote Tuesday on whether to form a union.(AP Photo/Jimmy Golen) Jimmy Golen

The Associated Press

Published: 03-15-2024 9:16 AM

BOSTON — The National Labor Relations Board on Thursday certified a union to represent Dartmouth men’s basketball players after the deadline passed for the school to object to the election.

Big Green players voted 13-2 on March 5 to join the Service Employees International Union Local 560 — the first-ever labor union for college athletes. The March 12 deadline was for objections about the election process; the school has appealed to the full board an NLRB regional official’s decision that the players are school employees.

Barring a successful appeal, the players and school will negotiate a collective bargaining agreement that would cover working conditions such as salary, practice hours and health care benefits.