Northwestern to appeal players union ruling

Northwestern to appeal players union ruling

Published Mar. 28, 2014 4:29 p.m. ET

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) Northwestern University has confirmed it will appeal a federal agency's ruling that its football players can create the United States' first union of college athletes.

In a statement Friday, Vice President for University Relations Alan Cubbage says Northwestern ''believes the decision overlooked or completely ignored much of the critical testimony supporting the University's position that student-athletes are not employees.''

He also says the decision ''applied incorrect legal standards.''

A regional director of the National Labor Relations Board ruled Wednesday players at the Big Ten school qualify as employees under federal law and therefore may unionize.

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Union lawyers argued players are part of a commercial enterprise that generates huge profits.

The Evanston, Ill.-based university says it will file a request for review to the full board by April 9.

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