Employment issues, as they relate to human resources, are something that most organizations must deal with at one point or another. There are pros and cons of being an employee under a union and having a collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Some pros of unionization are better job security, seniority advantages, powers as a collaborated group, and enhanced benefits. Some believe that the cons outweigh the pros, which include, fees associated with being a union member and potential disconnected relationships between workers and their superiors.
In recent news, unions have been highlighted a great deal in professional sports. Not too long ago, there was the National Basketball Association (NBA) lockout, and at the beginning of this year’s National Football Association (NFL) season, the referees went on strike. Negotiations between the NFL and the National Football League Referees have been stuck at a standstill. Veteran referees are protesting the league’s proposed changes for the next season. In March of 2011, the collective bargaining agreement expired and a complete breakdown in negotiations came up. Some of the issues involve revenue split, an increase to an eighteen game schedule etc.
ISSUES
The lock out began in June of 2012.” Replacement referees were standing in for members of the NFL referees union, who were locked out by the league in a labor dispute over pay and pensions”. (Jamieson, 2012) All referees were considered part-time, though the positions require full-time attention. Additionally, most referees have other full-time jobs and depend on the League’s compensation and pension plans to survive financially. The referees' union and NFL team owners remain at odds on several issues such as, pay, staffing levels and the arbitration system, to name a few. According to the NFL, Scott Green, the referee who's head of the NFL Referees Association, says there's one proposal above all others that he and his colleagues can't manage to swallow the league wants to freeze their long-running pension plans and switch them to less attractive 401(k)-style retirement plans. "The key is the pension issue," Green told HuffPost, adding that the pensions have been around since the mid-1970s. "A lot of our guys have made life-career decisions based on assuming that pension would be there." ("NFL, referees reach," 2012)
FACTS/FINDINGS
The dispute was resolved. The current defined benefit pension plan remained in place for current officials through the 2016 season, or until the official earns 20 years of service. The defined benefit plan then will be frozen. Retirement benefits will be provided for new hires, and for all officials beginning in 2017, through a defined contribution arrangement, which will have two elements: an annual league contribution made on behalf of each game official that will begin with an average of more
