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Few options for activists after college labor union blocked

Northwestern football player Justin Jackson walks to practice at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside campus on Monday, Aug. 17, 2015, in Kenosha, Wi. The National Labor Relations Board on Monday \overturned a historic ruling that gave Northwestern University football players the go-ahead to form the nation's first college athletes' union, saying the prospect of union and non-union teams could throw off the competitive balance in college football.(AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps) Northwestern football player Justin Jackson walks to practice at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside campus on Monday, Aug. 17, 2015, in Kenosha, Wi. The National Labor Relations Board on Monday \overturned a historic ruling that gave Northwestern University football players the go-ahead to form the nation's first college athletes' union, saying the prospect of union and non-union teams could throw off the competitive balance in college football.(AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

By Associated Press August 18, 2015 1 min read

CHICAGO (AP) – Activists vow not to abandon their fight to organize college sports after the National Labor Relations Board blocked a historic bid by Northwestern football players to unionize.

But it’s not clear where the battle might head next.

Tim Waters is a United Steelworkers official. His union bankrolled the Wildcats’ union drive. Waters calls the NLRB’s Monday decision “a setback” but not “a body blow.”

There’s no avenue to appeal the ruling. Still, Waters says activists could file new union petitions on behalf of teams in another region.

But former NLRB general counsel Ronald Meisburg says Waters’ optimism isn’t justified.

He says Monday’s ruling will likely compel regional NLRB offices nationwide to flatly reject all future petitions.

He says the ruling “puts the nail in the coffin of organizing college players.”