Unfair labor claim filed against ND over athletes

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — An unfair labor complaint was filed Thursday against the University of Notre Dame for classifying college athletes as “student-athletes.”

The complaint was filed with the National Labor Relations Board by a California-based group calling itself the College Basketball Players Association. It said Notre Dame is engaging in unfair labor practices as defined by the National Labor Relations Act.

The complaint is similar to one filed against University of Southern California last May by the NLRB’s Los Angeles office alleging players on USC’s football and men’s and women’s basketball teams are employees and not “student-athletes” within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act.

A phone message and an email seeking comment on the complaint was left Thursday evening with a spokesperson for the university.