National Labor Relations Board Says Dartmouth Men’s Basketball Team Can Unionize

The National Labor Relations Board said Monday the Dartmouth College men’s basketball team can proceed with efforts to hold a union organizing election.

Team players last year petitioned the board to organize with a local arm of the powerful SEIU labore union, which  represents other groups at Dartmouth, according to Politico.

The board determined the players are workers under the National Labor Relations Act and therefore eligible to unionize. The determination was reportedly made in part because coaches and other school officials “control the work performed by the Dartmouth men’s basketball team, and the players perform that work in exchange for compensation.”

The Ivy League argues financial assistance is offered to student-athletes on a need based and that it’s not compensation. Ivy League schools do not offer athletic scholarships.