NFL teams voting on decertification of NFLPA

The Cowboys and Eagles are reported to have joined the Saints in unanimously voting to decertify the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA).

NFLPA decertification?

The NFLPA is passing out cards to players setting the stage to request a vote on decertifying the union as the collective bargaining representative of the players. Rumor has it the Saints have unanimously voted for decertification. It is most unusual for a labor organization to seek to destroy its right to bargain for a group of employees it represents. But in this case NFLPA seems to think decertification is a defense against a potential lockout by owners when the current collective bargaining agreement expires in March. More after the jump.

The Needle in the hatstack

Drew Brees has penned an interesting piece in the Washington Post concerning American Needle v. NFL. Thats the case challenging the NFL's right to enter into an exclusive marketing arrangement for stuff with team logos. The small company challenging the NFL's exclusive arrangement with Reebok lost in the lower court which found no anti-trust violation in the deal because the NFL is essentially a single entity for marketing purposes. After the deal took effect the cost of a cap with a team logo increased by ten dollars. If you're thinking what does this have to do with employment law, Saint Drew explains. It seems the NFL is asking the Supreme Court to broaden the ruling. The league wants the Supreme Court to declare the NFL is a single entity for virtually every purpose, rather than 32 extremely competitive football teams. If that were the case, bye bye free agency and the many other advances players earned using the anti-trust laws. Oral argument is set for January 13, 2010.