Effort to unionize NFL cheerleaders could be coming

[LesBaker]

FFS give them a salary that's fair, set a number of public appearances and make sure the salary covers that and give them some money for legit expenses. It doesn't have to be crazy, it can be worked out.

Honestly I have some reservations about the 300 hours worked claim. The math doesn't add up there.

 

[mr.stlouis]

I hope so. They're vastly underpaid employees of a supremely rich organization. They deserve to be compensated fairly.

 

[OldRock]

BTW I have NEVER been in a union , have issues with many of them, but this seems to be exactly why they came into being in the first place.[/QUOTE]

I do belong to a union and yes, there are issues with them. I've seen a lot of people who should have been fired keep their jobs but in the long run, it's worth it for the living conditions of the good workers. There were reasons people died to organize unions back in the older days but that all seems forgotten now. This is starting to get political now so I'm dropping it like a hot potato. I'm learning!

 

[AZRamsFan93]

NFL cheerleaders as a part of the game day experience are a joke. They have exactly zero impact on the fans or actual cheering. They are really cheesy dance squads and are passé at best, IMHO.

I say cut them loose and give them additional time to pursue other employment. IMHO, it would have exactly zero impact on the league if they did so.

For that reason, the cheerleaders have little negotiating leverage. The league is not a benevolent society. They are likely getting paid commensurate with the value they add.

 

[Prime Time]

NFL cheerleaders as a part of the game day experience are a joke. They have exactly zero impact on the fans or actual cheering. They are really cheesy dance squads and are passé at best, IMHO.

I say cut them loose and give them additional time to pursue other employment. IMHO, it would have exactly zero impact on the league if they did so.

For that reason, the cheerleaders have little negotiating leverage. The league is not a benevolent society. They are likely getting paid commensurate with the value they add.

I agree with this but it is part of an NFL tradition, not for all teams but for most. I wonder what the players think. Are the cheerleaders a distraction for them, or do they like having them there during the games?

 

[LesBaker]

I hope so. They're vastly underpaid employees of a supremely rich organization. They deserve to be compensated fairly.

They don't need to unionize in order to do that.

 

[mr.stlouis]

They don't need to unionize in order to do that.

Yeah, but I love unions. Its my political belief that it would pull the best opportunity for them. What would we look at between plays without chreerleaders? They're a beautiful part of the game, literally, and a potential strike would garner a ton of attention. They would get paid. It would stir up the delima of "Women's Rights" and the NFL would pay big money to not have that happen in their sport. They're in the most most popular sport in North America, that deserves a much higher compensation than they're getting. Union is the best option unless the owners decide to just pay them, unlikely.

 

[AZRamsFan93]

I agree with this but it is part of an NFL tradition, not for all teams but for most. I wonder what the players think. Are the cheerleaders a distraction for them, or do they like having them there during the games?

That's a fair question.

I would expect that they do not notice the cheerleaders on game day, and I would be disappointed in the lack of focus of any player that did.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...d-1-25-million-to-settle-cheerleader-lawsuit/

Raiders will spend $1.25 million to settle cheerleader lawsuit
Posted by Michael David Smith on September 5, 2014, 7:12 AM EDT

Getty Images

The Raiders have agreed to spend $1.25 million to settle a lawsuit brought by members of their cheerleading squad.

Lawyers for the Raiders and 90 women who worked for the Raiderettes from 2010 to 2013 announced the settlement on Thursday.

Raiderettes say the Raiders illegally paid them less than minimum wage and forced them to do unpaid work. Now those women will each get about $6,000 for each year they workedbetween 2010 and 2012 and $2,500 for 2013, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. (The Raiders raised the Raiderettes’ pay for the 2013 season, although members of the Raiderettes say it still worked out to less than minimum wage.)

The Raiders say they have now changed their policies to comply with state law. The Bills, Buccaneers, Bengals and Jets are also facing lawsuits from their cheerleaders.

 

[iced]

From the article:

The NFL continues to decline to address the situation, and for good reason. In an era where the NFL attracts female fans by allowing the color pink to infiltrate in October the otherwise sacrosanct NFL uniform, evidence that female employees are being exploited and mistreated could alienate members of their gender.

So continuing to ignore the situation, or basically alienating the cheer leaders, is supposed to be a good thing? Oh yea, that'll help with the NFL's image.

 

[LesBaker]

OK the blonde in the middle down on one knee........I think I see an adams apple.

 

[blue4]

Let them unionize, pay them fairly, and if you don't think it's worth the money have them spend loads of time doing PR or outreach stuff. Have them make appearances in local sports bars on away games, visit schools, stage charity events for local schools. You know, build a fan base. I would think loads of college ladies would love to get a decent wage doing something they love while going to school.

Never understood the whole Unions=automatic boogyman mentality.

 

[CodeMonkey]

They do have a point. They're paid jack squat. On the other hand, I think most if not all of them have "real" jobs and are basically cheerleading for fun and/or as a resume builder. Can't we just give the girls a raise and ixnay the union babble?

 

[junkman]

OK the blonde in the middle down on one knee........I think I see an adams apple.

Really? That's what you're looking at?

 

[LesBaker]

They do have a point. They're paid jack squat. On the other hand, I think most if not all of them have "real" jobs and are basically cheerleading for fun and/or as a resume builder. Can't we just give the girls a raise and ixnay the union babble?

That's been my opinion the whole time.......they don't need a union they just need to be paid a little. The only reason unionization has come into play is because ownership and management has been tone deaf about the work done for the money.

It's not like they are asking for six figures a year.

 

[blue4]

That's been my opinion the whole time.......they don't need a union they just need to be paid a little. The only reason unionization has come into play is because ownership and management has been tone deaf about the work done for the money.

It's not like they are asking for six figures a year.

Isn't that the whole point of starting a union? To get a tone deaf employer to listen? Why else would they listen? It's already starting to work in Oakland.

 

[LesBaker]

Really? That's what you're looking at?

I looked over every pixel of course.

 

[LesBaker]

Isn't that the whole point of starting a union? To get a tone deaf employer to listen? Why else would they listen? It's already starting to work in Oakland.

The media attention, because it's the NFL, should be enough and provide enough pressure at this point to effect change.

 

[fearsomefour]

Never understood the whole Unions=automatic boogyman mentality.

In my experience usually ignorance.
"I hate unions...." Usually followed by "I've never been in one"
So it goes.
In my opinion they are lacking two important things.
They are easily replaceable and they are not necessary.
If I owned a team I would certainly pay them better than it seems most are, but, you can forget about "30 hours a week" being paid. If they are putting in that much time they are very into their hobby I guess.

 

[blue4]

The media attention, because it's the NFL, should be enough and provide enough pressure at this point to effect change.

But the whole reason for the attention is the effort or threat to unionize.