What would a Union of Wrestlers mean for the WWE?

[JoeyJoeJoe]

So on the heels of the CM Punk interview, one of his major points was that he would like to see a union for wrestlers to help deal with management regarding issues of pay and health. This seems to be a elephant in the room in so many questions around the WWE, including issues related to concussions, road schedule, pay from the WWE Network, and a number of other factors.

My questions are:

1) What do you think a wrestler's union would mean for the WWE?
2) What changes would the WWE have to make to handle a union? i.e. could the WWE survive, or even prosper in such an environment?
3) What would be the implications elsewhere for the smaller promotions?

My thoughts are that this is something that the WWE management is deathly afraid of, as it would take an enormous chunk out of their already marginal profits. On the other hand, it could force systemic changes to the way the WWE presents its product that it could ultimately benefit from including how talent is used on shows, add some predictability to schedules, and remove some of the capriciousness of the booking. IMO, I think something like this is going to occur in the next 10 years. It may occur due to sustained injuries by wrestlers, a backlash against the hard schedules, or an NFL style investigation into concussions or drug abuse.

 

[TheICChampion]

They can try and form a union all they want, but Vince would never allow it to happen.

 

[chuckmdubya]

Speaking purely as a selfish fan here.
As the NFL's player union gets more powerful, the product has suffered. Many of the things that used to be a staple of football entertainment are gone or are highly marginalized. There are no more good touchdown celebrations, no more taking out a receiver across the middle, no more "putting a hat on someone" (leading with helmet), no more punishing hits on QB's, no more tackling the QB when he runs ( he just slides), and practically no more Kick returns. These are all things that make it safer for participants, but less entertaining for fans.
And when Unions are formed, it is inevitable that politics will shortly follow. Political correctness is rampant in the NFL right now, The Washington Redskins team name, openly Gay athletes creating a media stir, very public Domestic abuse cases, drug raids, and medical lawsuits are all problems within the league that have been brought on by politics and political correctness.

I would be very weary of a union ruining the product I have been watching for almost 3 decades, as is has almost ruined the NFL.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I a story yesterday at wrestlinginc.com and the site included a comment made on Twitter regarding a union in WWE that Val Venis made:

"A union in @WWE would have destroyed the passion @CMPunk had 4 the business far quicker than the company itself did. A unionized @wwe would crush talent motivation, annihilate the human spirit 2 succeed & destroy the #wwe product. There would be no @CMPunk. Sports unions morph into being all about tenure, NOT talent! This would hurt the @wwe product & destroy talents will to succeed. #Detroit"

I was a little surprised at this since Val Venis is someone who didn't exactly rise to the upper echelon of talent in WWE. To be honest, I always figured he'd be a little bitter about his spot in wrestling history and his time in WWE and would support a union.

There's a lot of politics that goes on backstage in WWE, or any wrestling company for that matter but WWE is the one that gets singled out because it's the largest and most convenient target, but it'd probably be 10 times worse when it comes to implementing a union. Another poster mentioned the NFL player's union, but look at the unions in basketball & baseball as well. Whenever something happens involving an athlete violating rules or failing drug tests that result in fines or suspensions, it seems the athletes always bring their lawyers into the mix to challenge the decision. It drags on for months at a time with the athlete threatening to bring about legal action even if he did technically violate the rules, the athlete usually goes on playing while the decision is appealed and usually some mutual agreement is reached that makes the NFL honchos look like *****es.

I'm not saying that a union would be a bad idea, I don't know all the ins & outs of the wrestling business, especially the corporate side, and I'm not gonna pretend to. However, I do have a feeling that for every improvement made, there'd be just as many hindrance and other problems created.

 

[DCLXVI]

The problem is WWE is it's own animal, it is not a national league of teams. It is not something people grow up playing in high school or viewed as a legitimate sport. It is still like a hybrid physical variety TV sideshow, you play by WWE's rules or you can go work elsewhere... although that hasn't worked out well for many guys. Wrestlers are not recognized as pro wrestlers in WWE but "Superstars". Vince views them as independent contractors/actors.

 

[FromGlasgow]

I would say wrestlers are in a worse position now as if they burn their bridge with the WWE theres not really many options left for them so Vince could probably do as he pleases with talent but I'm not sure how helpfull a union would be with that and I'm not quite sure how it would work in wrestling like could Hunico and Justin Gabriel suddenly demand the same benefits as say John Cena and Brock Lesnar, I've been in several different employment unions and none of them really done me any good.

 

[rbv13]

As a personal taste I am extremely anti union when it comes to any industry. In this day and age they are anti productive and outdated. There are a number of agencies to protect our workers without the need for these greedy factions.

Since unions do exist couldn't pro wrestlers just join the actors group? Vince has made it painfully obvious that is what a WWE Superstar is so why not run with if.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

As a personal taste I am extremely anti union when it comes to any industry. In this day and age they are anti productive and outdated. There are a number of agencies to protect our workers without the need for these greedy factions.

Since unions do exist couldn't pro wrestlers just join the actors group? Vince has made it painfully obvious that is what a WWE Superstar is so why not run with if.

SAG-AFTRA is a labor union for movie and TV actors. It's the same thing. It's pretty difficult to make any movies in Hollywood without them and yet somehow we get them year in and year out.

 

[rbv13]

@JoeyJoeJoe, I didn't know the exact name of the union for actors. Thanks for the info. My point was if this is really such an issue for WWE performers then why not leach onto this group. With so many "superstars" working in film wouldn't they already be involved with it? I do not think they should join any union just that the option is there.

 

[roh1986]

Well, wrestlers for WWE are misclassified as independent contractors for WWE, so they can't join a union unless they first sue to be known as employees. The actors situation is a bit different, the union negotiates with the studio and then the actor negotiates an individual contract with the studio.

Vince doesn't have a say in the matter. If you're an EMPLOYEE of a company, it is you and your co-workers right to vote for or against a union.

 

[BillAlfonsos_Whistle]

The only way it could ever happen/work would be if like every single top guy at the same time colluded behind the scenes to organize a walk-out type ultimatum. If there were any big draw hold-overs it wouldn't work because it would be much wiser for Vince to suffer a large walk-out and possible repercussions of that than long-term unionization.

 

[The Boss]

Considering how many people complain about wrestlers being held back, a union would only make things worse. It will create a pecking order and protect the top spots while ensuring that fewer guys than ever will get an opportunity. Unions are BAD news.

 

[Wald]

It's probably a cultural thing but being European I think a union is definitely needed. Obviously they can become bloated and too self-absorbed but without them you just have the capitalist system running amok. Both are needed to perform a sort of check and balance on each other and too much of either leads to massive problems.

I really never understand the American hatred of unions to be honest, I assume some of it is due to your free market preferences and some of it is due to ignorance of what rights the system has actually produced for you.

For wrestlers in the WWE it's an absolute nonsense that they are called independent contractors so that they have to pay their own travel, health costs and accommodation but then can't accept jobs outside of the WWE and are completely tied to the company like, you know, an employee. I don't see how people think this will lead to tenure for certain wrestlers as it would just mean that a guy gets signed to a contract, as they do now, and then it gets reviewed at the end of the contract for renewal. So a guy like Kevin Steen coming in would get a three year deal and then it's up to Vince to renew it. He can just not renew if he thinks Steen isn't worth it. The contract gives Steen protection from healthcare and allows him to actually save money instead of spending it on hotels and hire cars.

What's the problem?

 

[Creepy Old Man]

If an active WWE performer spoke out about a union, he'd be buried beyond belief. Nobody wants to take the gamble and push for it, because if it doesn't happen, you're dead. Guys who've done their time, like Punk and Bret Hart, are free to do so, but nobody currently in the company (or who wants to be back IN the company) would dare express such sentiments. WWE has monopolised the industry and functions like a dictatorship, and they don't want that changed one little bit.

Think of it like Team Cena vs. The Authority. The guys on Team Cena took a gamble and it paid off, but if it didn't they were all fired. Supporting a union would be like a real life version of that.

 

[Headman]

If there was a union Bob Holly would still be on the roster. Old, boring jobbers who don't get over will be protected for life. New talent won't be able to get in unless it's somebody's kid. Look at the freaking post office, automotive plants and even teachers. It's almost impossible to get rid of a bad employee. So fans who want unions probably haven't put much thought into it.

 

[FlairFan2003]

Considering how many people complain about wrestlers being held back, a union would only make things worse. It will create a pecking order and protect the top spots while ensuring that fewer guys than ever will get an opportunity. Unions are BAD news.

REALLY ??? In Unions you have collective bargaining, meaning one guy cant get a huge pay day because he's golfing buddies with the boss while you work for peanuts, everyone sticks together, the books are opened for the wrestlers to see (just because Vince says your PPV bonus is fair doesn't mean it is), and with that there is no more inequity in the pay scale, certainly the John Cena's are going to get more just as they do, but everyone else gets a bigger and much better able to be determined piece of the pie.

In Unions you can bargain for health insurance and retirement benefits (which wrestlers do not have) as well paid time off. And everything would be on set scale so everyone would know what is going on, where as now maybe Randy Orton collects a full paycheck while he is off because he and HHH are buds but Ryback gets nothing.

As far holding wrestlers back the exact opposite would be true. Tell me about the major league baseball players held back today ? Seems to me that the best pitchers and best hitters are getting huge paychecks (five teams last week combined to spend a quarter of a billion on payroll for a hadnfull of free agents). I haven't heard about all the home run leading hitters who cant get paid because of the union.

The biggest thing would be the collective bargaining and WWE opening it's books. What's up with PPV bonuses these days, anyone know ? No, WWE isn't saying and wrestlers aren't getting paid but they have no idea if the decline in pay is proportional to declines in business, WWE can easily slash pay 40% while revenue is only down 10% and the wrestlers have no idea and no way to find out.

How many stories have we heard about wrestlers who questioned bonus payouts and then randomly got additional money ? Chris Jericho wrote about it in his book. Of course, no one knows why he got the extra money (was there an accounting error and he was really owed that money or was Vince just placating him since he was a F/T player at the time ?). Fact is if Cesaro wrestled on the same spot on the same card and got less money would he be given random amounts of extra cash just by asking, and where does the random cash come from ?

Also, what exactly is the termination policy in WWE ? How structured is it, how well is it enforced ? If Vince doesn't like you he can just fire you even if you are extremely popular, just because he can. Meanwhile a guy with half your talent who performs like crap stays on because he's a suck up, even though the audience doesn't care for him and he contributes far less than you do.

Doesn't sound too bad to me

 

[FlairFan2003]

If there was a union Bob Holly would still be on the roster. Old, boring jobbers who don't get over will be protected for life. New talent won't be able to get in unless it's somebody's kid. Look at the freaking post office, automotive plants and even teachers. It's almost impossible to get rid of a bad employee. So fans who want unions probably haven't put much thought into it.

Wow, you know NOTHING about Unions - First, it's very easy to get rid of Union employees for poor job performance, every Union job has specific guidelines for performance standards and a specified review practice as well as a clearly stated policy about how infractions and poor performance are documented, simply put if you don't do your job you are terminated. Now with a Union I cant give you 15 chances to get your job because you're my buddy while firing the next guy after three, if the agreed upon policy says you get 3 chances and you fail you are gone, buddy or not, Without a Union, you'll always have a job over far more productive and valuable employees simply because we're buds.

New Talent wont get over ?? Seems to me new actors & actresses get jobs all the time, I cant keep up with all new faces in TV & Movies....all union jobs (ever heard of the Screen Actor's Guild). In sports there are no teams in any unionized pro sport that refuse jobs to younger skilled players so they can keep older players of less skill. None. Zero. Find me one, you cant, doesn't happen.

The Post Office ? What's wrong with the Post Office - there isn't a private company I this country that can deliver mail across state lines in 24 hours like the Post Office as well as reaching the most rural and remote of addresses.

The Auto Plants ? I must have missed all the starving young assembly workers denied employment by GM & Chrysler, in fact, since you apparently didn't, find me the articles and post them here - You cant, because there are none.

Teachers ? The physical component in teaching is non existant compared to sports so yes they can perform much longer. However, they are subject to the same set standards of performance and review any other job would have, and are terminated daily across the country for failure to comply.

I realize opinions are not facts but don't speak like you know something when you clearly don't. There's a reason I don't post about my vast knowledge and understanding of the workings of brain surgery - because I don't know anything it - Kind of like you on this subject.

 

[Headman]

REALLY ??? In Unions you have collective bargaining, meaning one guy cant get a huge pay day because he's golfing buddies with the boss while you work for peanuts, everyone sticks together, the books are opened for the wrestlers to see (just because Vince says your PPV bonus is fair doesn't mean it is), and with that there is no more inequity in the pay scale, certainly the John Cena's are going to get more just as they do, but everyone else gets a bigger and much better able to be determined piece of the pie.

In Unions you can bargain for health insurance and retirement benefits (which wrestlers do not have) as well paid time off. And everything would be on set scale so everyone would know what is going on, where as now maybe Randy Orton collects a full paycheck while he is off because he and HHH are buds but Ryback gets nothing.

As far holding wrestlers back the exact opposite would be true. Tell me about the major league baseball players held back today ? Seems to me that the best pitchers and best hitters are getting huge paychecks (five teams last week combined to spend a quarter of a billion on payroll for a hadnfull of free agents). I haven't heard about all the home run leading hitters who cant get paid because of the union.

The biggest thing would be the collective bargaining and WWE opening it's books. What's up with PPV bonuses these days, anyone know ? No, WWE isn't saying and wrestlers aren't getting paid but they have no idea if the decline in pay is proportional to declines in business, WWE can easily slash pay 40% while revenue is only down 10% and the wrestlers have no idea and no way to find out.

How many stories have we heard about wrestlers who questioned bonus payouts and then randomly got additional money ? Chris Jericho wrote about it in his book. Of course, no one knows why he got the extra money (was there an accounting error and he was really owed that money or was Vince just placating him since he was a F/T player at the time ?). Fact is if Cesaro wrestled on the same spot on the same card and got less money would he be given random amounts of extra cash just by asking, and where does the random cash come from ?

Also, what exactly is the termination policy in WWE ? How structured is it, how well is it enforced ? If Vince doesn't like you he can just fire you even if you are extremely popular, just because he can. Meanwhile a guy with half your talent who performs like crap stays on because he's a suck up, even though the audience doesn't care for him and he contributes far less than you do.

Doesn't sound too bad to me

You can't compare the pay scale to sports unions because the WWE isn't a sport. And why would you want the bloated contracts we see in other sports? It wouldn't even be worth Vince's time of doing business. It would be the end of WWE and to some extent pro-wrestling. If someone is truly valuable to the WWE they're going to pay to keep them. Unions would protect scrubs and scrubs are bad for fans. Well, not some internet fans. But almost everybody else.

 

[Headman]

Wow, you know NOTHING about Unions - First, it's very easy to get rid of Union employees for poor job performance, every Union job has specific guidelines for performance standards and a specified review practice as well as a clearly stated policy about how infractions and poor performance are documented, simply put if you don't do your job you are terminated. Now with a Union I cant give you 15 chances to get your job because you're my buddy while firing the next guy after three, if the agreed upon policy says you get 3 chances and you fail you are gone, buddy or not, Without a Union, you'll always have a job over far more productive and valuable employees simply because we're buds.

New Talent wont get over ?? Seems to me new actors & actresses get jobs all the time, I cant keep up with all new faces in TV & Movies....all union jobs (ever heard of the Screen Actor's Guild). In sports there are no teams in any unionized pro sport that refuse jobs to younger skilled players so they can keep older players of less skill. None. Zero. Find me one, you cant, doesn't happen.

The Post Office ? What's wrong with the Post Office - there isn't a private company I this country that can deliver mail across state lines in 24 hours like the Post Office as well as reaching the most rural and remote of addresses.

The Auto Plants ? I must have missed all the starving young assembly workers denied employment by GM & Chrysler, in fact, since you apparently didn't, find me the articles and post them here - You cant, because there are none.

Teachers ? The physical component in teaching is non existant compared to sports so yes they can perform much longer. However, they are subject to the same set standards of performance and review any other job would have, and are terminated daily across the country for failure to comply.

I realize opinions are not facts but don't speak like you know something when you clearly don't. There's a reason I don't post about my vast knowledge and understanding of the workings of brain surgery - because I don't know anything it - Kind of like you on this subject.

Total union propaganda. I've worked in union shops most of my adult life. I've seen how it actually works. The ones they like don't get infracted. The ones who don't click do, but it's usually not for work reasons. Don't sit here and run down the union rep handbook at me with your BS.

And there you go comparing the WWE to things that it can't be compared to. There's no unlimited number of roster spots in the WWE. Budding talent won't have a chance because old union dogs protect old union dogs. Stop with this pie in the sky BS and get with the real world. When unions come in the cost of business goes up and shops close because it's not worth the money or the headache.

 

[FlairFan2003]

Speaking purely as a selfish fan here.
As the NFL's player union gets more powerful, the product has suffered. Many of the things that used to be a staple of football entertainment are gone or are highly marginalized. There are no more good touchdown celebrations, no more taking out a receiver across the middle, no more "putting a hat on someone" (leading with helmet), no more punishing hits on QB's, no more tackling the QB when he runs ( he just slides), and practically no more Kick returns. These are all things that make it safer for participants, but less entertaining for fans.
And when Unions are formed, it is inevitable that politics will shortly follow. Political correctness is rampant in the NFL right now, The Washington Redskins team name, openly Gay athletes creating a media stir, very public Domestic abuse cases, drug raids, and medical lawsuits are all problems within the league that have been brought on by politics and political correctness.

I would be very weary of a union ruining the product I have been watching for almost 3 decades, as is has almost ruined the NFL.

WHAT ???? The NFLPA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TD CELEBRATIONS !!! That all comes from the owners and the Commissioner. So do all the rules about protecting QBS - The NFL PA has no say in rules, there is a Competition Committee that is run by Coaches (all employed by owners) who advise and then the owners vote to approve (or disprove) changes. The Commissioner can make changes but they are subject to approval of owners.

Domestic abuse is related to Political Correctness ??? You must be nuts. Since when did beating your children become linked to political correctness. "Man, Im gonna beat my kid till he's unconscious because I hate this political correctness" - That's the most un-educated and ignorant thing Ive ever heard. Oh, and the NFLPA has nothing to do with "Political Correctness" in football, that comes from the owners because they don't want players upsetting the fan base, IE their money. All the NFLPA does is try to make sure the extra money the owners make is divided fairly with the players. If Domestic abuse cases are a problem maybe it's because domestic abuse is a sick and disgusting thing and should never be tolerated.

Drug Raids are an NFLPA thing ??? Since when did the Players Union ever advocate having it's members arrested for drugs ? You can blame that one on one of the state and local governments, which are in no way linked to the NFLPA (they are often linked to ownership though).

Kick returns - Again, nothing to do with the Union - all decided by Competition Committee and ownership. Union isn't even consulted on the issue and the players have no say in that or any other rule changes.

Finally, if the NFLPA was so bad why did it take so long to "ruin" the game ? You do know that the players have been unionized for almost fifty years right ?

 

[FlairFan2003]

Total union propaganda. I've worked in union shops most of my adult life. I've seen how it actually works. The ones they like don't get infracted. The ones who don't click do, but it's usually not for work reasons. Don't sit here and run down the union rep handbook at me with your BS.

And there you go comparing the WWE to things that it can't be compared to. There's no unlimited number of roster spots in the WWE. Budding talent won't have a chance because old union dogs protect old union dogs. Stop with this pie in the sky BS and get with the real world. When unions come in the cost of business goes up and shops close because it's not worth the money or the headache.

When Unions come in the WAGES GO UP ! Ever notice all the states with best wages and best living situations are all Union friendly - ever notice the least unionized states all have the highest poverty rates and highest unemployment rates ?

You are the one shouting propaganda - Ive been involved with Unions for 40 years, as a worker, as management, and Ive seen a ton of union workers let go who couldn't do their jobs. Ive also seen a lot of good men & women protected from abuse in the workplace where they would have been let go unfairly without unions.

You "claim" you witnessed some sort of incident where an employee who should have been let go wasn't ? And you think that never happens in non union work places ? In fact, it happens much more often because without the unions there are no checks and balances on the employers. Ive also known police officers who were lyers and criminals, that doesn't mean they all are, but Ive known a few.

I notice you didn't have one thing to say about the references to the actors guild or the pro sports unions where clearly young up & comers are not held back and denied work in favor of less skilled people - Funny how when presented with actual examples you have nothing to say.

You need to get your head out of the Fox News ass and pay attention to the real world. Or better yet, go live in one of those poverty stricken, low wage, high unemployment non union states like Mississippi & Arkansas, I'll be enjoying my much better standard of living in PA, CT, NY, etc.

 

[Headman]

Frankly I don't even see how pro-wrestling could unionize now anyway. A union's only bargaining chip is if they don't get what they want the labor walks. Well, so? Who on the WWE's roster isn't replacement besides maybe John Cena? Who would go to a union shop with deeper pockets (Oh there is none btw) and make them more popular than the WWE? Where would the union's power come from considering how many non union athletes would be willing to take up pro-wrestling for a chance to earn $80,000 a year as opposed to working retail for $20,000? When Mr $80,000 a year scab gets over he can use his stroke to demand more money. Oh wait, that's the system they have now. But Flairfan would have us believe that for whatever reason the guy who is popular enough to command more should put his butt on the line for the guy who draws nothing and for what? In a union the strongest link needs the weakest link for leverage and that's why the weakest link always stays. It doesn't matter how articulate Flairfan tries to be or how he screams and fusses that others don't know what they're talking about. He's bought into the union gig, and won't back down. That's his thing, but in the realm of pro-wrestling he's dead wrong. So yes, insult me and pick on the guy who's confused about the NFLPA, but that doesn't change the fact that a unionized pro-wrestling wouldn't work, couldn't work and it would be a disaster if it did.

 

[FlairFan2003]

You can't compare the pay scale to sports unions because the WWE isn't a sport. And why would you want the bloated contracts we see in other sports? It wouldn't even be worth Vince's time of doing business. It would be the end of WWE and to some extent pro-wrestling. If someone is truly valuable to the WWE they're going to pay to keep them. Unions would protect scrubs and scrubs are bad for fans. Well, not some internet fans. But almost everybody else.

Yes you can compare pay scales by comparing revenue - It's called math, let me enlighten you.

OF COURSE the NFL & MLB can pay larger contracts - they make more revenue. No one was, especially not me when you read my post, ever said that with a Union WWE would have to spend MLB type money on players. I did state that with unions young up & comers are always getting jobs and older, less skilled players do not, a comparison & contrast to your "Bob Holly" claim. IE if unions were so bad why do all the new actors, actresses, and sports players get jobs, why aren't they being excluded as you said in favor of much less skilled individuals ?

Somehow you never addressed that.

As for comparing actual salaries, no, WWE wouldn't be paying contracts equal to The NY Yankees, the revenue isn't there. There would be a much more structured way of doing pay & bonuses, and wrestlers would have a significant say in financial matters related to pay & bonuses (just like in other Unions) but of course no one thinks Unionized wrestlers are getting ball player like salaries, the revenue isn't there.

Police Officers are unionized too but here's a tidbit of info you that I assume you do not know -- they don't get paid like MLB players either.

 

[Headman]

When Unions come in the WAGES GO UP ! Ever notice all the states with best wages and best living situations are all Union friendly - ever notice the least unionized states all have the highest poverty rates and highest unemployment rates ?

You are the one shouting propaganda - Ive been involved with Unions for 40 years, as a worker, as management, and Ive seen a ton of union workers let go who couldn't do their jobs. Ive also seen a lot of good men & women protected from abuse in the workplace where they would have been let go unfairly without unions.

You "claim" you witnessed some sort of incident where an employee who should have been let go wasn't ? And you think that never happens in non union work places ? In fact, it happens much more often because without the unions there are no checks and balances on the employers. Ive also known police officers who were lyers and criminals, that doesn't mean they all are, but Ive known a few.

I notice you didn't have one thing to say about the references to the actors guild or the pro sports unions where clearly young up & comers are not held back and denied work in favor of less skilled people - Funny how when presented with actual examples you have nothing to say.

You need to get your head out of the Fox News ass and pay attention to the real world. Or better yet, go live in one of those poverty stricken, low wage, high unemployment non union states like Mississippi & Arkansas, I'll be enjoying my much better standard of living in PA, CT, NY, etc.

Wages go up? Where's that money come from if the product isn't popular enough to bring it in? Just stop already. You're a union guy. We get it. Not all of us wanna drink the koolaid.

And I did have something to say about the actor's guild. There are unlimited individual projects to support new actors. There's only one major pro-wrestling company in America. It's just a flawed comparison on your part.

 

[FlairFan2003]

Frankly I don't even see how pro-wrestling could unionize now anyway. A union's only bargaining chip is if they don't get what they want the labor walks. Well, so? Who on the WWE's roster isn't replacement besides maybe John Cena? Who would go to a union shop with deeper pockets (Oh there is none btw) and make them more popular than the WWE? Where would the union's power come from considering how many non union athletes would be willing to take up pro-wrestling for a chance to earn $80,000 a year as opposed to working retail for $20,000? When Mr $80,000 a year scab gets over he can use his stroke to demand more money. Oh wait, that's the system they have now. But Flairfan would have us believe that for whatever reason the guy who is popular enough to command more should put his butt on the line for the guy who draws nothing and for what? In a union the strongest link needs the weakest link for leverage and that's why the weakest link always stays. It doesn't matter how articulate Flairfan tries to be or how he screams and fusses that others don't know what they're talking about. He's bought into the union gig, and won't back down. That's his thing, but in the realm of pro-wrestling he's dead wrong. So yes, insult me and pick on the guy who's confused about the NFLPA, but that doesn't change the fact that a unionized pro-wrestling wouldn't work, couldn't work and it would be a disaster if it did.

Actually, with no viable alternative to compete with, this would be the best time for the wrestlers to try it, Vince doesn't have anyone else, there is no WCW, no territories, there isn't anywhere for him to replace large portions of his roster. It would have been much harder years ago because it would have been tempting for under carders elsewhere to take the chance and jump and to WWE. It's actually just like MBL & NFL, there are no other leagues doing what you do in the US and the quality of players you might be able to bring in would be so low the product would suffer and you would lose money (You do remember the 1987 Replacement NFL games correct).