Culinary Union suggests Bill of Rights for MMA fighters

I think all UFC fans should refuse to eat in a restaurant that has culinary union members working there. Lets see who has more power, the culinary union or the UFC FANS

They are the ones prohibiting fighters from making a living in the State of NY, and now they want to make themselves out to be the champions of MMA fighters' rights? This union is a perfect example of just how corrupt unions and the government have become, that a bunch of COOKS get to decide whether or not professional fighters can make a living in a state by pressuring #$%$ morons in the so-called "elected representative" assembly into protecting only the union's interests.

While I agree with some of those ideas; they need to come from a person or group that actually care about the fighters and their future. NOT a union looking to keep the UFC out of New York and putting money in their own pockets.

This sounded interesting until I read all the stupid comments by OGNutsucker. What would be interesting to look at would be how many culinary cooks have killed people through high salt and high fat foods in restaurants. Contributing to the NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH. Heart disease and their fatty salty food kills more people than all cancer combined.

I still think the Culinary Union's interest in MMA is shady (the last suggestion seems very different from their stance last year), but some of these suggestions sound good.
Even though they mean to harrass Zuffa and the UFC, the union's constant criticisms might actually help MMA, even if the intent isn't to be beneficial. Criticism isn't a bad thing.
Nice bias, Maggie. That's what I like to see from Yahoo! Sports.

There are a few things just inherently wrong here. First, as others have said, it would kill smaller promotions and virtually eliminate any new ones. Nextly, (yes, its a word...now) the fighters already have a "right to work", If there is any part of their contract that they do not agree with, they have the RIGHT to not sign it. the UFC is a private company and if someone doesnt like how they do business they are free to fight for someone else or start their own promotion. Also, the UFC provides more medical coverage than they strictly speaking, have to. The fighters are INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS!!! This means, for those that have never worked as one, that they are NOT employees, and are more like small business owners. It is up to them to pay their own taxes (no withholdings), pay for their own insurance, pay their own managers, trainers, agents, etc. So in providing extended medical coverage beyond just from arrival at the venue to leaving the venue, they are doing MORE than required. They agree to their pay long before they even start training camp, so again, free to choose to fight for the UFC or not. With regard to revenue sharing, sure the UFC makes money but it is also because they invested the money and took all the risk to provide the fighters a chance to engage in their chosen profession so why should they NOT see a return on that investment and risk? The headliners get a share of the PPV revenue, but why should say, Dan Lauzon? How many people would buy a ppv with him on the Facebook portion of the card? (yes i know he doesnt currently have a UFC contract its just an example) Image rights; if the UFC didnt maintain SOME type of image rights system, then as soon as a fighters contract was up, the UFC would have to quit selling any media that included that fighter. so, no DVD's, no video games, no rebroadcasts etc. I'd have thought that was more common sense...
Sponsorships: Sure it would be nice for Bobs Chicken Shack to be on Frankie Edgars shorts, but Frank would be on a TV broadcast made possible by the UFC, why should the UFC NOT get a cut there? As a private business, why should the UFC NOT be allowed to say who or who doesnt get exposure at THEIR event?

if the FIGHTERS want to unionize i'm all for it, but i think it would be bad for MMA all around. I am all for protecting the rights of workers but i'm also a big fan of the rights of business owners as well.

My opinion of many unions in this day and age is that they care more about "their cut" than they are about the businesses that employ their members. They want "their cut" even if it kills the business their members work for. And why shouldnt they? After all, they have other members who still have jobs that they can get dues from...

only one i was opposed to was 9. everything else sounds pretty good. UFC needs to remember. its the BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS of these brave fighters that are paying the bills.

The culinary union should be more concerned about people eating snatch!

Some of the afore mentioned ideas sound good, but over-regulation is never a good thing. We've seen enough of government interference in this country to attest for that. Besides, most Unions are a nothing but a glorified whiners' club.

A bill of rights for fighters seems like a good idea, but the Culinary Union has a beef with the Fertittas and what they've come up with is not in the best interest of the fighters but is instead set to hurt the UFC. If the fighters want a Bill of Rights and come up with one I'll support it. But the Cullinary Union coming up with one just to hurt/harrass the UFC in an attempt to get the Ferttitas to Unionize their Casinos? Why would anyone support that?

I have no idea why The Culinary Union is doing this. I honestly think people in Boxing are getting them to fight MMA. This proves they are absolutely corrupt.

That being said, I DO think it would be a great thing to have something like this done for MMA fighters. As long as it was better than what is mentioned here and is REALLY being put forward to help the fighters and not for some political gain.

FYI - the proposal isn't a bill. A bill has to go through the legislature and be signed into law by the Governor. These are proposed regulation changes. Regulation changes are done through public comments to the overseeing agency - in this case NSAC. This is a good strategy for the union. They gain a negotiation tool and force Zuffa to reallocate resources.

While a fighter's union maybe a good thing, it needs to come from the fighters, not an outside group that has a rather large side of self interest that has nothing to do with the fighters needs or wants. It only makes unions look like money grubbing groups, rather than protectors of a specific labor force. Clearly unions serve a purpose, but this union has stepped where they don't belong.

If I'm a member of the Union I am wondering why they using my money to fight MMA. Just more proof Unions are out of control and need to be disbanded.

My first thought reading this was what business is it of the culinary union to give their opinion on how one company should organize and setup its business. But then I got to #7 on their list and the light bulb went on. This is all about organizing and unionizing the fighters. Which makes #2 a laugh out loud moment because unions are anything but right to work supporters and once the fighters were unionized, that would be out the window; i.e. you have to be a member of x in order to fight. In the end my opinion and the opinion of the culinary union do not and should not matter. It is up to the fighters to decide what is in their best interest. But I couldn't let this go by without exposing the ulterior motives of this union.

2. Right to Work - The Union will disallow exclusive contracts because the fighters will now belong to the Union, not to the organizations for whom they compete. Fighters who refuse to join the Union will not be allowed to fight, and fights that do not promote the Union's best interests will likewise be disallowed, though the Union will demand the fighters be paid whether they fight or not.

6. Fair Share of Revenues - This would ensure that no matter how little a fighter gets paid, the Union gets its "fair share." The Union will collect dues from its members every year while providing no insurance, no pensions, and no training. The Union will make sure fighters who lose 3, 4, or even 10 fights in a row cannot be fired because the Union will commit further acts of legislative terrorism like they have in New York State. The Union will also collect a percentage of each fighter's purse, padding the wallets of a handful of wannabe mobsters who do nothing but perpetuate their own cycle of corruption.

What the f*** is the Culinary Union thinking? And who cares? The UFC has made more fighters rich than any other MMA organization and invests whatever profit they do make into building a bigger fan base and making more money for them and the fighters. Meanwhile, the Culinary Union lobbys against the legalization of MMA in the state of NY which would generate dollars for the state government and local businesses. This is ridiculous.

This nonsense from the 'Culinary Union' just shows everyone how useless ALL unions are. Unions (not the union workers themselves) live rich off of protecting the sick, lame, and lazy. There was once a time and place for unions, but that has passed.

As for these Bill of Rights, there is nothing that the UFC or any other MMA promotion should adopt from the failing business of Boxing. Half of these 'Bill of Rights' would put smaller MMA promotions out of business.

People need to understand the inherit difference between 'Rights' and 'Privileges'

I want to stop and look at one thing though. This is possibly the single greatest article that Maggie, and Yahoo for that matter, has ever done. Seriously, no walk in t-shirts, no merchandise, no complaining about what people say. And you didn't even feel the need to impart your opinion in it. I am truly taken away and hope to see more of the same quality work, rather then the drivel you usually throw up.

The Culinary Union has a history with Station Casinos from last summer, this is just another tactic to get to them. Granted, it's a very clever tactic.