That game-suspending incident also exposed the NFL’s callous treatment of its workers.
the horror turned to outrage when, after Hamlin was removed from the field, it was announced that the players—visibly traumatized by the extent of the medical intervention to stabilize Damar—would have five minutes to warm up, and then play would resume. The callousness of this league never ceases to shock. Players are treated like equipment—easily found, easily disposed of. The valorized football phrase “next man up” is really saying that when your coworker is disabled, it’s your turn in the thresher.
But the players and coaches on the Bengals and Bills had seen enough and they refused to “play.” While the league was still twiddling its thumbs, coaches were meeting, players were getting dressed, and, at their behest, the game would be postponed. It’s important to note that the league only called the game after player reps from both teams contacted the union, the NFLPA, which informed the league that the game was done. This was a workplace action. Participants exercised their collective power and demanded that their trauma, their grief, their very humanity be recognized.
Finally, 59 minutes after the fact, after the players and coaches made the decision for him, Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, announced that the game would be postponed.
That would be huge. There are a lot of industries where noncompetes keep people from leaving a toxic work environment without abandoning the industry they have built their expertise, relationships, and reputation in.
I keep telling the company that I work for that I will not accept a management position since I am making more than my manager right now due to their terrible policies that won’t pay someone $25 an hour to do work in a remote location. They would rather pay me approximately $40 an hour plus travel plus a lot of other random expenses to go do that in another state…
Even at my company in Japan, a person who is one rung below manager makes the same as a manager after 25-30 hours of overtime (ETA: per month), and you better believe that they are both doing at least that much overtime.
Plus, you get booted from the union when you become a manager.
