Dartmouth basketball team makes history with unionization

The Dartmouth College men’s basketball team, commonly known as “the Big Green,” etched its name in sporting history March 5, becoming the first college athletic team certified for union representation. The groundbreaking move sent shockwaves through the NCAA, igniting a national conversation about the rights and compensation of college athletes. With a vote of 13-2, the Big Green players chose to join the Service Employees International Union Local 560 (SEIU). “Today is a big day for our team,” said Dartmouth College juniors Cade Haskins and Romeo Myrthil, who led the unionization effort, in a statement. “We stuck together all season and won this election. It is self-evident that we, as students, can also be both campus workers and union members. Dartmouth seems to be stuck in the past. It’s time for the age of amateurism to end.” The decision came after a successful petition to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which ultimately classified the players as university employees. The classification came after players realized they received free equipment and apparel from the college. Dartmouth, however, has appealed this decision, setting up a potential legal battle with wide-ranging implications. “For decades, Dartmouth has been proud to build productive relationships with...