Do the AFL players have a Union that is sufficient for their needs?

Question

It has not always been the case that AFL players have had a Union going in to bat for them.

Does anyone know how they operate, as opposed to the general publics' union.

Answer 1

Player unions in America are quite silly and from what I read about the AFLPA, Benny Gale is leading it to silly.

The players need to understand, it is a gift, a privilege to play AFL footy, or MLB in baseball, NFL in football, NBA in basketball or NHL in ice hockey, even first class cricket.

The unions and their greedy lawyers here in America ruined sports with their money grabbing since the late 1960's.

Free agency has killed American sport. The competitive balance is gone. Some teams in the smaller market cities that don't have the money (kind of like some of the AFL clubs in Melbourne) have no chance to win the World Series, Super Bowl or whatever. The players go where the money is. Unless you barrack for Collingwood or Carlton, do you want the Maggies or the Blueboys to win every premiership for the next 20-30 years because they can buy every great player? I don't think so, just my opinion.

Answer 2

Footballers do have a union, if you can call it a union called the Australian Football League Players Assosiation. These are the people that are in charge of making sure players dont get personal info out in the public that could uin a players career such as testing positive for drugs or other indiscretions that the public is unaware about. Also pay contracts have to go through them to be allowed to be signed.

But maybe a whole different sub-association is required to deal with pay and contracts. I hope this answers your question.

Yours

M.C.E.D

"Bite my shiny metal ***" Futurama

Answer 3

Why do they need another union?  They have well cashed up Managers to do their dirty work.

Answer 4

Good question, I wonder if they could help him?

Answer 5

The AFLPA has done a sensational job for its members - they've negotiated a piece of the TV rights, put limitations on training and dictated the terms of the AFL's drug policy.

Answer 6

You've got to wonder where the players would be WITHOUT their Players' Association after recent events!  They're not always going to get it right but when you look at the way some other sports have gone, things could be a lot worse.

Unfortunately recent events have shown not even an Association like that is above trying to politically 'cleanse itself' of a difficult situation rather than really thinking through what is best for the overall situation.  

I hope now to see the AFLPA go into bat hard for support services for current, future and ex-players.  And then wouldn't it be nice to see a Government that took mental health seriously, like putting psychologist and rehab services on Medicare?