Kaepernick Sues NFL Over Collusion To Deny Him Employment

[jerrym]

When it comes to what is allowed in terms of protests, American Constitutional law, labor and civil rights legislation, as well the NFL player's union Collective Bargaining Agreement all provide significant protection to a player.



https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/o...-protests.html


In the case of the NFL, the Collective Bargaining Agreement offers further protection to players. Although Kaepernick, because he is the plaintiff in the collusion case must provide the burden of proof to show that collusion occurred, has the right to depose the NFL owners, which has already begun, to look at team emails and other club information to support his case.



https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery...006024&EXT=pdf

Just read through all of this.
I didn't realize that all of this stuff existed, and certainly the bit about the CBA players' rights is damning against the owners.

I still disagree strongly with the form of these protests (I strongly support the cause though), but this doesn't look good for the owners.

@AngeloV - yah, I probably am underestimating the GOB (OV!) nature of the owners.


BTW, do these laws and CBA items potentially threaten the tradition of requiring players to have to be on field at all for the playing of the national anthem?
Since it is a workplace for the players, why should they be forced to attend the playing of the national anthem at all?
Kind of like prayer in schools - should it be forced on everyone?
Just a thought.

These laws and CBAs exist for a reason. Today Trump proved it he said that during the national anthem players "should stand proudly or you shouldn't be playing or you shouldn't be there or maybe you shouldn't be in the country".
Sports journalist Harold Bryant said he has interviewed many NFL players and leaders of the NFLPA. Their general response to the owners insistence on players standing for the national anthem or staying in the locker room was "This is just beginning".
MSNBC's Meet the Press's Chuck Todd said a Brillant Comera poll in March 2018 of Black NFL fans found that 35% of them are watching the NFL less because of what the owners did to Kaepernick.

[jerrym]

There's a lot anger developing among NFL players over Trump's most recent comments on the national anthem and over the owners threatening to fine players for not standing for the national anthem only a couple of days after the players and owners reached a social justice accord. The negotiation of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2020 was already looking like it was going to be difficult because many players feel their current agreement heavily favours the owners. The anthem issue is almost certainly going to contribute to more difficult negotiations.

Denver Broncos Brandon Marshall had some strong words on Thursday when talking about the NFL’s new national anthem policy, and especially in response to President Donald Trump’s suggestion that players who remain in the locker room under the new rule “shouldn’t be in the country.” ...

Marshall didn’t hold back when asked about Trump’s comment to Fox News in a Thursday morning interview, when he said in that the NFL’s resolution, announced on Wednesday was “good” but those who remain in the locker room “maybe shouldn’t be in the country.”
“I say ‘disgusting’ because of our First Amendment rights,” Marshall said. “We have freedom of speech, right? Freedom to protest? Because somebody decides to protest something, now have to be kicked out of the country? That’s not how things should work, in my opinion. … Just because somebody disagrees with something, or if I didn’t stand for the anthem, or if I don’t like what’s going on, that’s basically him saying I should be kicked out the country. ...

Like many players, Marshall does not like the NFL’s new policy, which owners enacted without input from players or the NFL Players’ Association.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/broncos-b...151008488.html

[AngeloV]

There's a lot anger developing among NFL players over Trump's most recent comments on the national anthem and over the owners threatening to fine players for not standing for the national anthem only a couple of days after the players and owners reached a social justice accord. The negotiation of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2020 was already looking like it was going to be difficult because many players feel their current agreement heavily favours the owners. The anthem issue is almost certainly going to contribute to more difficult negotiations.



https://www.yahoo.com/news/broncos-b...151008488.html

As well there should be anger. Yes, many get paid big time money to play, but the way the owners and specifically the idiot president are handling this is ridiculous.