MMA Union revisited

I remember us having some fairly indepth conversations about a fighters union back in the day on the ESPN board. Being a private business owner, I think it's pretty easy to see why I'm against unions. They have had their time and the way the government controls businesses today, the employees have about 99% of the rights. Reading through this article, I agree with pretty much everything Lorenzo and Lindland have to say. The chances of a union being created in such an individualized sport are pretty slim...


http://mmajunkie.com/news/19410/ufc-exec-lorenzo-fertitta-on-potential-fighters-union-thats-up-to-them.mma

Well I think the statement that employees have 99% of the rights, can hardly be considered rational thought. Why then are there all these layoffs then if owners have only 1% of the power?

However, I will concede that unions have outlived their purpose. Factories don't slave drive their employees 12 hour days 7 days a week and 4 year olds arn't aloud to work anymore so the idea of unions being needed today is out of sheer greed.

Unions arn't needed MMA so long as there is an option for fighters to move to competitive organizations if its in their best interest. Capitolism only survives through competition.

Before this thread turns into a union bashing thread, let me remind you all that the 8 hour workday, weekends, and paid vactions as we know them in the US are because of unions.

Unions as they exist now are a virus on productivity.

ohiovol62 wrote:

Well I think the statement that employees have 99% of the rights, can hardly be considered rational thought. Why then are there all these layoffs then if owners have only 1% of the power?

However, I will concede that unions have outlived their purpose. Factories don't slave drive their employees 12 hour days 7 days a week and 4 year olds arn't aloud to work anymore so the idea of unions being needed today is out of sheer greed.

Unions arn't needed MMA so long as there is an option for fighters to move to competitive organizations if its in their best interest. Capitolism only survives through competition.

Before this thread turns into a union bashing thread, let me remind you all that the 8 hour workday, weekends, and paid vactions as we know them in the US are because of unions.

Unions as they exist now are a virus on productivity.

Come on Ohio... I can lay people off if there's no work for them to do (But it's not as easy as 1-2-3). In most case I have to offer severence packages. If I don't lay off an equal number of men and women and all races, I'm subject to lawsuits. Not to mention they can go collect unemployment for the next 20 years on my dime thanks to Obama and co. continuing to extend benefits for people that don't even have to prove an attempt of looking for other work.

Think about what I was really trying to say though... Employees have almost all of the rights today, from me having to pay for rehab if they become addicts to the most minute details under employment laws. In this economy (Turning a profit is a joke), and with the ever changing employment guidelines... It's no wonder that guys like me are looking for buyers. I've been a business owner for well over 20 years and it gets tougher and tougher every day to want to continue to deal with the headaches, because most of those headcahes come from areas that aren't even a part of the business itself.

I do agree with you on the union thoughts though...

I am against Unions, particularly in sports. But the fact that there is an option makes it even better. Tito loves blabbing about the need for a union and being underpaid. But not one fighter has ever invested into the organizations they are bitching about. They don't have to rent arenas, pay for htel rooms, pay all the fees and insurance, hire personnel, and a million other things that are involved with setting up a show. Yes tht have to train and fight, but if someone wasn't there with a paycheck, doctor, etc. they would be fighting hooligans behind bars for $10. Let the owners garner the money and figure out the pay scale. Besides, UFC, WEC, SF, Dream, Bellator, Etc all pay better than most top tier boxing promotions with the exception of the main events.

Unions are good in the short term but the problem is they always end up hurting the very business they work for in the long run. That is my observation of Unions.

Unions have gone a way most things do. Feminism, Unions, the Christian Right, The civil rights movement, (yes I said the civil rights movement) all have honest intentions and should be looked at by history favorably. But they now do more harm than good.