Today in Labor History: Football strike ends

On this day in 1982, the National Football League Association, which represents the nation’s professional football players, ended a strike that lasted 57 days.

The labor action was effective: while it was ongoing, not a single major league football game was played. Because of the strike, the football season lasted only nine games per team, an almost 50 percent reduction from the originally scheduled 16.

The players were demanding a percentage of profit revenues, which the NFL refused. Eventually, the players won a new contract, which provided an increase in salaries and post-season pay, as well as bonuses and severance packages for retiring players.

Image: NFLPA logo, via Wikipedia.


CONTRIBUTOR

Special to People’s World
Special to People’s World

People’s World is a voice for progressive change and socialism in the United States. It provides news and analysis of, by, and for the labor and democratic movements to our readers across the country and around the world. People’s World traces its lineage to the Daily Worker newspaper, founded by communists, socialists, union members, and other activists in Chicago in 1924.

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