You are the athletic director at a large private university with a highly comprehensive, highly competitive intercollegiate athletics program. Most years the football team is ranked in the top 25 and is in the hunt for an NCAA Division I bowl game. The team captain has just presented you with a petition signed by 70% of the players that requests permission to start the process leading to unionization. The players arent asking to be paid, but they believe it is in their best interests to have union protection when it comes to their physical well-being, academic progress, and financial affairs.

Since you are at a private university, the players are within their rights and can speak with unions such as the National College Players Association about representing them. The next step in the process will be for the players to distribute formal union cards for signatures. If at least 30% sign the cards, they could ask the National Labor Relations Board to endorse their request to unionize. This is a complete surprise to you. In fact, you are so surprised that youre not sure what to do next

Whats it all means to workers today and to those seeking jobs and careers in the future? How will you deal with the challenge of finding an employer that values you?