Here we go: Biden’s new general counsel at the NLRB, Jennifer Abruzzo, has just released a memo arguing that college athletes are workers eligible to unionize. She also says misleading them to believe otherwise is a violation of the NLRA. Full memo: big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/athena/files/2…
Abruzzo says she will pursue cases against schools that misclassify players as "student-athletes," on the grounds that it creates a chilling effect and discourages them from asserting their rights. So I suspect we'll be hearing that phrase a lot less from presidents and AD's: 
Another warning for schools & coaches: Abruzzo says players have a right to address #BlackLivesMatter or other social justice issues without being muzzled, deeming such activism "protected concerted activity." i.e. it's workers banding together to improve their working conditions
Abruzzo tells me: "If players at academic institutions feel like they want to choose a union to represent them in discussions with their employer over wages or working conditions in order to improve their current employment situation then they should be filing petitions."
In 2015, the NLRB did not allow the union election for Northwestern football players to go forward, but dodged the central question of whether they were workers. Abruzzo predicted they'll revisit that: 'One way or another I think the board will be weighing in as to my position.'
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