AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement as the House of Representatives considers the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act (H.R. 4312):
College athletes have been fighting for years for fair treatment in an industry that generates billions in revenue off their talent and hard work. America’s unions have stood with them. In recent years, athletes have made important progress, but the SCORE Act would unravel that progress and entrench the power of conferences and schools at their expense. The bill is union-busting policy in action, stripping college athletes of basic—and wide-ranging—rights in the workplace, allowing schools to have ultimate control over athletes’ name, image and likeness, and empowering the NCAA—instead of democratically elected legislatures—to establish rules on athlete compensation.
Now more than ever, college athletes need a voice in how they're treated. The SCORE Act takes us in the opposite direction, stifling athletes' voices and opening the door to more exploitation.
Contact: Mia Jacobs, 202-637-5018