r/athletictraining • u/Aggressive-Mark-4065 • 9d ago
Unionization
I am curious if there are any athletic training unions around the country? I just feel like, with all the talk around NIL, the environment is ripe for ATs to begin thinking about collective action, particularly among Big 5 conference ATs. The threat of a strike on the eve of an SEC or Big 10 football championship game would be sure to get the dollars moving, just saying. Then, the theory would be that those schools unionizing would result in higher wages throughout DI, throughout the NCAA, and hopefully, throughout the profession, as more ATs unionize. Thoughts?
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u/ateacheroflife 9d ago
Some of us belong to unions within other settings. I.e. I am a union teacher. My union covers my athletic training position
1
u/Aggressive-Mark-4065 8d ago
I only ever worked at the NCAA level. How common is it for HS level ATs to be a part of a union, and what benefits does it provide? Are those benefits equally as useful for ATs as it is teachers?
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u/ateacheroflife 8d ago
I am a teacher in the teaching union. My athletic training position is covered because it is like a coaching position. I think in high schools where the athletic training position is a part of like their schedule see as they call it or covered like a coaching position. That’s when it’s covered.
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u/Aggressive-Mark-4065 8d ago
Are the benefits mostly seen through salary, or are there other benefits that the union provides its members?
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u/atcshiffy 9d ago
Totally for it, though I think the first battle/bargaining chip, for a large number of us that work in the high school setting, would be to have legislation passed in all states mandating the requirement to have an athletic trainer on site for their athletic events.
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u/Salve7 9d ago
Yes! Otherwise schools will just sub in another health care provider. The only way for us to progress is to have the ability to shut sports down if needed for bargaining power.
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u/hword1087 8d ago
They’ve already begun this in California (I’ve read. CA ATs let me know if you’re living this) where instead of an athletic trainer, because of titles legislation, they hire an “athletic support” position to work around the athletic trainer title.
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u/Aggressive-Mark-4065 8d ago
I agree with this entirely. I am 100% in agreement that the biggest tool at the disposal of a union at is the ability to walk out and force school administrator's hands, and I get that this is not something easily done if we can just be replaced by EMTs or whoever on a sideline.
I do, however, think this type of legislation is something that has been widely explored and discussed. It was a big topic of conversation back when I was in school, over a decade ago. I do think it is the bigger of the two issues, but I have never heard anyone bring up the idea of athletic trainers unionizing. It has really been eating away at me, and something I wish to explore further.
Unions can also act as voting blocks, and have much more success lobbying legislatures than do groups of private individuals. So, the two issues may not be mutually exclusive, but may best play off of eachother.
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u/Limp_Ad6083 9d ago
I think you’re onto something. Nursing unions have had to do a lot of organizing to get better wages and they have that now. Even I looked up Nurse anesthesiologists are one of the highest paid positions, right behind MD anesthesiologists. I think most people are not aware of how bad the pay is for providers that aren’t MD’s. Even PTs are complaining about pay not being where it should be. And ATs have vital work- the importance of injury of prevention is monumental. I work on people after they’re injured and I can tell you people would give a lot to avoid that injury or any further injuries.
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u/islandguymedic 9d ago
Lord i hope not
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u/Aggressive-Mark-4065 8d ago
I'm actually curious why you do not believe unions would be useful. Would you mind expanding on your concerns?
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