This is an odd story, but a story nonetheless. It appears that NBA players' union officials were denied access to the Celtics' locker room prior to last night's Game 2 of Boston's series against Cleveland. Apparently, it's fairly common for union personnel to enter a team's locker room prior to a game, but the Celtics for some reason decided that union reps could enter after the game, but not before. This did not go over very well with union rep Dan Wasserman:
"The Celtics are the only team in the league that believes they have the right to keep union personnel from the locker room, and as a result we're filing a complaint with the NLRB," Wasserman said, explaining that a basic tenet of labor law calls for union representatives to have access to employees inside the workplace. [Union official and attorney Hal] Biagas said he had never before been denied pregame access to a locker room.
Quick question for the union reps that are so upset about this: why do you absolutely need access to a team's locker room before a playoff game? Is it to make sure that no collective bargaining rules are being violated before the team takes the court?
Look, I understand the place that unions have in the workplace, and that access to the players that the unions represent is a fairly basic requirement. But this seems more like one guy was upset that he couldn't see Paul Pierce getting dressed, and less like something that actually matters in the grand scheme of the union being able to represent its players properly. It will be interesting to see if there's more behind this story, but for now, it seems like something that's being blown way out of proportion.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Boston has a secret ? A lot of mystery ?
I dis-trust this team;
It is something wrong with this team?
Boston is dirt .
Posted at 9:38AM on May 9th 2008 by frank
2. the only person i see overreacting here goes by the name of brett edwards.
Posted at 10:05AM on May 9th 2008 by blsmao
3. they are up to something in there, maybe the union knows too much?
i am a janitor and i take out their trash- and i've seen hypodermic needles in beer cans with the trash...i have pictures and videotapes, but i need indemnification...
someone please blog this...
Posted at 10:21AM on May 9th 2008 by radja9697
4. I don't think many of you realize how a union works. If a person they represent has an issue on the job, whether before a game or any other time, they have every right to bring it to the unions attention and they have a responsibility to help resolve any dispute ASAP. If it is common practice to make appearances in the locker rooms, and this is the only time or place that they have been barred, then the real question is, what was the organization trying to hide. Don't be too quick to question the unions motives, they are just trying to do their jobs. This isn't the old days, unions are under far closer scrutiny than any non-union companies or associations. And in saying that, I mean to point out how unlikely it would be for them to be up to no good, especially in such a high profile situation.
Posted at 11:22AM on May 9th 2008 by Johnny Joe
5. radja9697---you are so full of shit it's comin out yer ears boy! pathetic little bitch...get a life
Posted at 11:24AM on May 9th 2008 by Jaelyn
6. Frank you little bitch, a few months ago you listed the Celtics as one of your favorite teams.
I knew you were a bitch as soon as you listed your 5 favorite teams and it matched every sportswriter's top 5 power rankings.
You're pathetic.
Posted at 1:38PM on May 9th 2008 by black death
7. I totally agree. What NBA player is going to ask for progress on a union issue while focusing on the game? And why should a coach not be allowed to limit distractions in the locker room prior to a playoff game? Not to mention if they were discussing strategy against LeBron, what possibility is there that a union officer could come in, listen, and then drop hints in the other locker room? Maybe, just maybe, he is so upset because he missed an opportunity to make a buck...
Posted at 3:05PM on May 9th 2008 by rob bednarik
8. They must be filming the other teams signals and cheating, just like the genius Belechek's coach's team the Patriots. I think that if the dolphins were able to cheat, and film the other teams play signal's, that Dave Wantstedt would have won the super bowl.
Posted at 12:22AM on May 10th 2008 by Kurt
9. I think a rep should be able to come in to the locker room before any game. Who wants to talk business after a game? But I do think a playoff game might be a little different unless there is a pressing issue. Who wants to get distracted before a critical game?
Posted at 11:14AM on May 10th 2008 by LA Lawyer
10. Must be a slow day for NBA news.....
Posted at 11:16AM on May 10th 2008 by dA