More Union Talk: Big Players Getting Involved

[helltoupee]

WTF are they going to do though? The UFC doesn't have to bargain with them. Unless they can get the roster to go on strike, they're useless.


And people wonder why we say an effective union would hurt the sport. SMH

Oh, I get it, you support the right of capital to organize under a free market, but you deny that same notion to labor.

And you're right, the UFC doesn't have to bargain with them. The entire roster can go somewhere else and the UFC can put on toughman contests.

 

[Azure]

The only reason that these guys are involved is because they see an opportunity to make money off the fighters just like the UFC owners.

For all of you that think a union is good here is what will happen

1) Union is formed but there is a split because the guys at the top 10% of the sport are making more than the other 90% combined.
2) Fighter pay increases a little
3) UFC cuts a bunch of low tier roster fighters (Who now go and make less money than they would have in other orgs).

 

[Maybesomeday]

Fighters Union is a win for the Fighters but a Loss for the Fans.

This is bad for me? Tell me more.

 

[mjmj]

and what is the truth?

That you’re a shill. That like most shills, you use half truths and a few outright lies to convince people ignorant of the subject. That unions at one time served a purpose, but are now resorting to those lies and half truths to keep lining their pockets. That in most cases (not all), the only ones benefiting from the unions are those working for the unions. How’d those pension plans work out? Union brass made millions and now the guys that busted their asses for decades are getting fucked. Sound familiar?

 

[The ScorpioN]

Another bunch of useless bureaucrats tryna collect a check every friday.

 

[OmegaRugal]

I really hope they wind up Unionizing, UFC brass is straight up bullshit lately.

Have you looked at the money even a guy that doesn't sell PPVs like Robbie Lawler made in a lost?

UFC seems to have been consistently increasing their payouts every year.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Nick Diaz should be the head of it, he's the best negotiator we have!

Sonnen by a mile..

 

[ameeksingh]

http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/8/1...major-sports-names-new-group-forms-to-get-ufc

"The Professional Fighters Association (PFA) has been established with a goal to get collective bargaining for UFC athletes, it was announced Thursday in a press release. The PFA is hoping to get recognition of a fighters union through the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the release stated. And the group has the support of many of the major sports unions, like the MLPBA and NFLPA.

The group is being led by longtime baseball agent Jeff Borris, labor attorney Lucas Middlebrook and economist Andrew Zimbalist. Borris once represented the likes of Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco and Rickey Henderson. Middlebrook, best known in the MMA space as Nick Diaz lawyer, is counsel for the Major League Soccer referees union, NBA referees union and the unions for Southwest Airlines employees. Zimbalist is a highly regarded and oft-published sports economist.

The PFA has also received the support of the MLBPA, NFLPA, NHLPA, NBAPA and MLSPU."

That 4 billion headline surely got them laywers interested !

 

[Dbreiden83080]

I hope this fails miserably.

Why? 4 billion the UFC is sold for. World champs being told to accept a 40 grand piss in the bucket from Reebok. Champs taking massive pay cuts as soon as they lose the belt. This is long overdue.

 

[MestizoIV]

This is bad for me? Tell me more.

well for one; the fighters will be be doing more cherry picking when it comes to their next opponent. Basically, what Woodley is doing now except every fighter will be looking for nonsensical "money fights" and refusing fights that don't favor them

 

[Deleted member 479811]

It's not knee-jerk. It's about where our interests as fans lie.


The fans' interest, the sport's interest, the organization's interest, and the fighters' interest are all SEPARATE interests. There is some overlap, i.e. the organization's interest overlaps with the fans' interest and the sport's interest, and to a lesser extent the fighters' interest. And you can separate the fighters' interest into the past fighters' interest, the present fighters' interest, and the future fighters' interest. But overall, those are the main interests at play.


Separate interests can conflict. Where there are conflicts between interested parties, I side with the fans' interest -- as should EVERY fan.


The fighters' union is only interested in the present fighters' interest. This interest directly competes with the interest of the fans and the interest of the sport on almost every issue.

So it's not knee jerk -- you're acting contrarily to your own interests by supporting a fighter's union. And contrarily to the sport's and future fighters' interests as well, in many cases.

Sorry, that's crap. Better paid fighters = higher class talent in MMA = better fights.

 

[Crushasaurus]

That you’re a shill. That like most shills, you use half truths and a few outright lies to convince people ignorant of the subject. That unions at one time served a purpose, but are now resorting to those lies and half truths to keep lining their pockets. That in most cases (not all), the only ones benefiting from the unions are those working for the unions. How’d those pension plans work out? Union brass made millions and now the guys that busted their asses for decades are getting fucked. Sound familiar?

ROFL

Ladies and Gentlemen: The TRUTH! (without a single real world detail or fact)

 

[Deleted member 479811]

That you’re a shill. That like most shills, you use half truths and a few outright lies to convince people ignorant of the subject. That unions at one time served a purpose, but are now resorting to those lies and half truths to keep lining their pockets. That in most cases (not all), the only ones benefiting from the unions are those working for the unions. How’d those pension plans work out? Union brass made millions and now the guys that busted their asses for decades are getting fucked. Sound familiar?

You're really hitting this shill note hard bud. The more unionized a country is, the less income inequality they have and higher standard of living overall. Without unions you'd still be looking at child labor and 80-hour workweeks.

If you need to cry 'shill' every time someone points out that huge corporations tend to fuck the little guy over if left to their own devices it's time for a reality check.

 

[Crushasaurus]

Sorry, that's crap. Better paid fighters = higher class talent in MMA = better fights.

This is exactly right. If you want to attract the best talent you have to offer the best compensation. This is the logic in the corporate executives, why shouldn't it apply to employees.

Excuse me, independent contractors.

 

[SeverianB]

The fighters' union is only interested in the present fighters' interest. This interest directly competes with the interest of the fans and the interest of the sport on almost every issue.
.

Nope.

As a fan, I want to see fighter pay increase dramatically to attract better athletes to MMA and to allow them to train full time.

This will directly positively affect me as a fan.

Go Union!

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

View attachment 129833
here to represent and shit, if you will

Here to represent, or whatever

 

[thedevious]

MMA has changed rapidly in a short period of time. Reebok, USADA, WME, now the PFA. Crazy. This at least seems more legit than Rob Maysey's association.

 

[philweed]

Only the dumbest of the dumb believe that these union scumbags are going to be good for the fans. The system works just fine right now. Leave it the f*ck alone and quit complicating sh*t.

If the fighters don't like the pay, then they shouldn't sign the damn contract. Find a different career.

 

[helltoupee]

well for one; the fighters will be be doing more cherry picking when it comes to their next opponent. Basically, what Woodley is doing now except every fighter will be looking for nonsensical "money fights" and refusing fights that don't favor them

That's not necessarily true at all. If the fighter's decide collectively to treat mma as more of a sport (ie meritocracy), and make solid matchups based on rankings, there's no reason that it wouldn't happen. An individual fighter wanting to "cherry pick" would not have the power to do so unless the group votes on it.

 

[Davemeddlehed]

This is incorrect. Adjunct professors are independent contractors (contracts which expire at the end of each semester) and they can join the union at their college and their unions negotiate for adjunct contracts as well. So you're wrong.

And independent contractor status is one of the main reasons for the Union. Fighters looked a lot more like independent contractors when they chose what they wore. But now they're in uniforms produced by the UFC/Reebok partnership. Suddenly these guys are beginning to look a lot more like employees. And this is exactly what the PFA will bring to the table in a negotiation or a hearing by the National Labor Relations Board.

Things you give up as an independent contractor:

• EARNINGS – Independent contractors are responsible for both halves of social security and medicare tax. This can cost an individual approximately 7% of their earnings.
• WORKING CONDITIONS – Independent contractors are often not compensated at increased rates for overtime worked. Furthermore, independent contractors are often not reimbursed for work related expenditures.
• SECURITY – Independent contractors are not eligible for unemployment benefits or workers’ compensation benefits should they get hurt on the job.
• BENEFITS – Employees generally receive some form of health and retirement benefits.
• UNION – Independent contractors are ineligible to be represented by a union.