Jerry Jones Prompts Response From Labor Union, NAACP
FORT WORTH (CBS11) - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' comments ordering his players not to disrespect the American flag during the playing of the national anthem before games, have led to a labor union filing what is known as a charge.
The Local 100 United Labor Union's Chief Organizer Wade Rathke says they have filed the charge with the Fort Worth office of the National Labor Relations Board.
Rathke told CBS11 in a phone interview that Mr. Jones' orders are illegal.
"To all of a sudden threaten people that you're going to bench them or fire them or write them up or whatever else for exercising these rights is against the law," said Rathke. "We just think Mr. Jones stepped way out of bounds on this and probably wasn't talking to a lawyer and probably was just talking without thinking which is always a problem and didn't realize his workers have rights under the national labors acts."
An investigator with the NLRB will now look into the filing and see if there is any merit in the claims.
The process could play out in a courtroom according to Rathke, but he is hoping it doesn't get that far.
He just wants Jerry Jones to change direction in his orders to his players.
"He is threatening his players it's against the law. He needs to back up. He needs to get back in bounds and he needs to let people exercise the rights we have in this country," said Rathke.
"This is not an issue about our flag, said NAACP interim President and CEO Derrick Johnson. "This is about police brutality, racism and the ability of members of the NFL whose communities are disproportionately impacted by police misconduct to peacefully say enough. This is not simply a black issue due to the number of white people also killed by police, but we know historically that when justice occurs for African Americans, all other members of our society benefit as well... Jerry Jones' comments are more than tone-deaf, more than misinformed and misguided - they are a public commitment by an NFL owner to violate his players' constitutional right to free speech."
The Dallas Cowboys had no comment on the matter.
This is the charge filed by the Local 100 United Labor Union:
