Dartmouth College’s men’s basketball team is halting efforts to unionize, withdrawing an effort before a labor board with appointees named by President-elect Trump might consider it.
“While our strategy is shifting, we will continue to advocate for just compensation, adequate health coverage, and safe working conditions for varsity athletes at Dartmouth,” Chris Peck, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 560, told The Associated Press of the decision to halt the efforts.
The Hill did not immediately receive a response from a union representative.
Dartmouth had said it would not negotiate with the SEIU over unionizing the team after it voted to form a union in March.
“For Ivy League students who are varsity athletes, academics are of primary importance, and athletic pursuit is part of the educational experience. Classifying these students as employees simply because they play basketball is as unprecedented as it is inaccurate. We, therefore, do not believe unionization is appropriate,” Dartmouth said in a statement.
Players at Dartmouth first petitioned the labor board in 2023, with the aim to become the first college athletes represented by a union.
The National Labor Relations Board has two openings, but they are expected to be filled by Trump after he takes office on Jan. 20. Trump will be working with a GOP-controlled Senate and will need majority votes to confirm nominees to the NLRB.
Democrats in the Senate earlier this month sought to confirm a Biden nominee to the board, but the effort was voted down 49-50 with independent Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) voting with Republicans.
The push for change comes amid the NCAA’s battle with name, image and likeness regulations that allow student-athletes to earn wages off of brand deals.
