we the players are organizing a union.
We deserve a real seat at the table, so we’re organizing our voice with a union: the United College Athletes Association (UCAA). The UCAA’s mission is to protect, organize, and represent college athletes as humans, students, and workers through collective bargaining.
the problem
THE NCAA's system is broken.
The NCAA’s business relies on our labor as athletes, but the NCAA prioritizes their power and revenue at the expense of our lives and rights. Enough is enough.
key issues
the solution
like pro athletes, we need a cba.
We need the same structure that grants pros the right to negotiate the conditions of their careers: a collective bargaining agreement (CBA). A CBA is a contract between the league and union that defines revenue sharing, minimum salaries, and working conditions.
we're fighting for a cba that guarantees:
Safety
Mandates
Enforceable Protections
Guaranteed Insurance
Workers Compensation
academic protections
Scholarship Protections
Transferable Credits
Transfer Protections
fair
Compensation
Labor Rights
Minimum Salaries
Fair Revenue Sharing
"Collective bargaining is the only solution."
DANNY WHITE
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
urgent threat
ncaa wants a
bailout from congress
The NCAA has spent $3B+ on lawsuits, lawyers, and lobbyists since 2021 to convince Congress to give them a bailout. The NCAA wants to force players to stay silent and take pay cuts as they rewrite the rules without us.
WE THE PLAYERS
PRODUCE
THE NCAA’S
VALUE
DESERVE A
SEAT AT
THE TABLE
REFUSE
TO
BE
SILENCED
Interim Executive Committee
JOIN THE
MOVEMENT
It's quick, easy, and confidential to join the movement
I'm excited to serve as an advisor for the UCAA to help the next generation of women's basketball players unionize, secure a CBA that raises the floor, and achieve transformational victories for future generations. The time is now…. The bottom line is simple: college athletes deserve the same rights and protections as professional athletes.
NNEKA OGWUMIKE
9x WNBA ALl-star • UCAA ADvisor
"The NWSLPA exists today because athletes organized. NWSL was transformed and now thrives as a result. The United Collegiate Athletes Association is carrying that same tradition forward, proving that collective action is the most powerful tool athletes have to secure lasting change. The labor movement is stronger when college athletes have a seat at the table, and I’m proud to stand with them.”
Meghann Burke
NWSLPA Executive director
FAQ
your questions,answered.
What is the UCAA?
The United College Athletes Association (UCAA) is a labor union, registered under the IRS as a 501(c)(5) nonprofit organization, whose mission is to protect, organize, and represent college athletes as humans, students, and workers through collective bargaining. UCAA is led by current college athletes, advised by top labor leaders, and is represented by one of the most distinguished union-side law firms in the country: O’Donoghue & O’Donoghue, headquartered in Washington D.C.
What is a union?
A union is a group of workers who unite to improve their wages, benefits, and other working conditions. By acting together, workers in a union gain bargaining power and a stronger voice in the workplace. Almost all professional athletes have unions called “players associations,” which negotiate collective bargaining agreements (CBA) for fair pay, revenue sharing, insurance benefits, safety protections, and other working conditions.
Who owns or controls the union?
A union is a membership organization run according to democratic procedures and regulated by law. It belongs collectively to its members, who exercise ultimate control and authority. Union members periodically elect union officers to oversee day-to-day operations and participate in all major policy choices. The U.S. Department of Labor has described unions as follows: “Unions are membership-driven, democratic organizations governed by laws that require financial transparency and integrity, fair elections and other democratic standards, and fair representation of all workers.”
What is a union authorization card?
Union authorization cards are written forms that employees sign to indicate their support for union representation in their workplace. Workers who sign authorization cards are expressing their interest in having a union negotiate on their behalf with their employer for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. A worker who signs a union authorization card does not immediately become a union member; joining the union as a member is a separate process that takes place later. The card simply indicates that the worker wants to be represented by the union in collective bargaining discussions with management. The union will collect union authorization cards and submit them to a state or federal labor board to show that enough workers in a workplace are interested in union representation to justify holding an election on the representation question or for the union to obtain voluntary recognition of its representative status from the employer.
Will my coach know if I signed an authorization card?
No. UCAA will never tell your coach or university that you signed. Signing is confidential unless you choose to be publicly recognized as a union supporter or representative.
What is a CBA?
A collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is a legally enforceable contract between an employer and a union representing a group of employees known as a “bargaining unit.” CBAs typically provide for wages, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment that can be legally enforced. In professional sports, CBAs often include revenue sharing, minimum salaries, insurance benefits, and other policies that grant players the right to negotiate the conditions of their careers.
What are the benefits of a union?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “Workers represented by unions have a powerful voice that strengthens their ability to negotiate with their employer about their concerns. Higher wages, health insurance, vacation days, paid sick leave and retirement benefits are a few examples of what workers achieve through their unions.” In other words, having a union not only provides workers with economic benefits and legal protections found through their CBA, but also gives workers a voice in critical matters relating to their well-being and future. The long history of professional sports unions illustrates the hugely positive impact that unionization can have on workers. Professional player unions have secured as much as a 50% share of league revenues for player salaries, million-dollar minimum salaries, and lasting health insurance benefits.
Can my university or the NCAA punish me for signing a card and joining a union?
No. Employees have a right to form and join a union, and retaliation is illegal. It is unlawful for an employer to threaten, intimidate, and retaliate against workers for signing authorization cards and unionizing. If you have concerns about a coach or administrator, please email UCAA for additional support.
Can international athletes sign a card and join a union?
Yes. International workers have the same right to organize in the U.S. as any other employee. Further, international students in the U.S. have the same legal rights as U.S. citizens, so they have the same right to form a union as other students. If you have any questions about your situation, please email UCAA for support.
