NFL Union: Give in to Our Demands or We'll End Medical Treatment for 78-Year Old Dementia Patient

Pundit Press ^ | 6/14/2011 | Thomas Ferdousi

[therightliveswithus]

I know that the headline seems a bit heavy-handed but it appears that the NFL Players' Union is going to use a hostage in its fight for even more millions of dollars in professional sports salaries.

Bruce Schwager, 78, was a former lineman for the United States Merchant Marine and helped build one of the Apollo capsules. He joined the union when he attended several NFL training camps and has been a loyal member since.

Now, due to the NFL lockout, the union is holding several important hostages. One is Schwager while they also hold the jobs of thousands of attendants at the NFL stadiums. In short-- they want millions for millionaire players-- $8 an hour janitors and parking lot attendants be damned!

But let's get back to Schwager. It's true that the charitable wing of the union is paying for his $250,000 a year expenses-- but at least from union mentality, that should be their responsibility anyway. Considering he is a member, could some of the six-figure union heads or eight-figure players consider giving a tiny fraction that may instead be, oh maybe donated to the Democratic Party.

[therightliveswithus]

Wow. This is one of the worst union excesses of the last decade

[Straight Vermonter]

This guy has no idea what he is talking about. The players are not asking for more money. The owners want to take an additional billion dollars before they make the split with the players.

[dblshot]

Opportunity for the owners to make the players look bad. 32 teams owners could give less than $10K each to cover Schwager.

[octex]

Didn’t the players vote to DE-CERTIFY their union and then several players joined together to file a civil suit against the NFL owners? That would mean they are no longer represented by a union. I think the players are wanting a cut of that $1 billion pie the owners are due to get.

[scrabblehack]

Yes, and why are the draftees prevented from becoming replacement players? I understood it was because of union rules. But if there is no union, shouldn’t those rules be null and void?

Also the remaining money in the defunct union should be disbursed according to the bylaws. So if players are entitled to medical benefits they should receive them.

[Straight Vermonter]

Yes, the players decertified. That is to try to break the owners anti-trust exemption. The NFL is a legal monopoly.

The current CBA says the owners get a billion off the top and then there is a split of the remaining revenue 60% to the players and 40% to the owners. The owners want to take 2 billion off the top and leave the split 60-40. You think the players are being greedy?

Don’t let your distaste for unions get in the way of common sense.