This bill would grant college athletes the right to collectively bargain with their schools and athletic conferences, treating them as employees under federal labor law. Currently, the National Labor Relations Act does not cover college athletes, but this legislation would amend it to classify any student who receives compensation (such as scholarships or stipends) tied to playing a sport as an employee eligible to organize and negotiate. The bill applies to both private and public colleges and would allow athletes to form bargaining units across entire athletic conferences to negotiate wages, working conditions, health and safety protections, and other employment terms. The legislation includes protections ensuring that collective bargaining compensation is not treated differently for tax purposes or federal financial aid eligibility, preserving existing scholarship benefits. The bill does not specify funding or implementation timelines but would vest enforcement authority in the National Labor Relations Board.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.