AFL Firebirds QB Mike Pawlawski went to the NLRB "for
protection against what he considered" the AFL's "illegal
pressure to join" the AFL Players' Organizing Committee, and
the NLRB "recently agreed he has a legitimate beef,"
according to Jody Meacham of the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS.
Pawlawski and AFLer James Guidry "are being financially
supported in their legal efforts" by the NFLPA and the
United Food and Commercial Workers Union, with whom the
players "originally wanted to affiliate." The NLRB has
agreed to a formal hearing Super Bowl week. Meanwhile, the
AFL SaberCats "have broken ranks with the league's other
teams and agreed to cooperate with a group of players in an
antitrust suit against the league," and "have even
threatened to file their own suit." Arguing the league's
case before the NLRB will be Shep Goldfein and Jeff Mishkin
of N.Y. law firm Skadden Arps. If the NLRB rules in the
players' favor, it "would open the door to antitrust suits
that challenge the league's salary structure, draft and free
agency." It would also "wipe out any current agreements
between the players and owners" (MERCURY NEWS, 9/27).
