# What's this "decertification of the player's union" about?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-decertification-of-the-players-union-about/556433>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [October 8, 2010, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-decertification-of-the-players-union-about/556433 "2010-10-08T00:40:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-decertification-of-the-players-union-about/556433/1 "2010-10-08T00:40:34Z")

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Every day, I see another NFL team voting to decertify the union to thwart a lockout. What exactly does this mean? Does this mean the union will cease to exist? How will that effect if there’s a lockout or not?

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-decertification-of-the-players-union-about/556433/2 "2010-10-08T00:44:08Z")

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[Quoth the AP:](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5656024)

> [@](#):
>
> By disbanding their union, the players could sue the NFL under antitrust laws if there is a lockout. A similar move following a 1987 labor impasse led to the 1993 agreement that created free agency.

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**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-decertification-of-the-players-union-about/556433/3 "2010-10-12T01:06:34Z")

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But suppose the union decertifies, and then management _calls off_ the lockout. Wouldn’t teams then be able to sign players one at a time, as individuals, at whatever salary and terms they would agree to? How could that possibly be good for the players?

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**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-decertification-of-the-players-union-about/556433/4 "2010-10-12T01:56:25Z")

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> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#):
>
> How could that possibly be good for the players?

Could be very good for Peyton Manning, for example. Can you imagine a bidding war for him? Not so good for the guys at the other end of the spectrum, though.

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**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-decertification-of-the-players-union-about/556433/5 "2010-10-12T06:50:55Z")

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> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#):
>
> But suppose the union decertifies, and then management _calls off_ the lockout. Wouldn’t teams then be able to sign players one at a time, as individuals, at whatever salary and terms they would agree to? How could that possibly be good for the players?

> [@Oakminster](#):
>
> Could be very good for Peyton Manning, for example. Can you imagine a bidding war for him? Not so good for the guys at the other end of the spectrum, though.

Most players are already under contract.