SOZ on RTR - SOZ talks Drivers' Union - When is the first drivers' strike? by Harper

When Fox Sports says goodnight it is time to click over to RaceTalkRadio for the rest of the story. "Couch Potato Corner" will feature live media center audio for the Sprint Cup race winner and much more! Sit down, strap in, and sound off on RaceTalkRadio.com this Sunday!

Top News

Back to SOZ's Main Page &

VOTE for the best driver MUG SHOT!

SOZ talks Drivers' Union - When is the first drivers' strike?

3/14/08: SOZ Studios, MI - By Mike Harper "SOZ" (RaceTalkRadio.com)

Every week, many of us in this industry are able to catch the eyes and ears of NASCAR fans looking for more information about the sport. For me and I'm sure for others who enjoy having opportunities at print media and radio, look at this as a privilege to have readers and listeners consume our opinions. And hopefully over time, after proving ourselves, we become a trusted source for solid thoughts and opinions that make readers and listeners think outside the box and create a foundation for a good debate.

But at times, some in our industry can and will push a personal agenda in an effort to create chaos or harmfully divide a group of people, an organization and a community.

I'll be up front, honest and say that I'm somewhat guilty of pushing a personal agenda myself. I've done it folks, not to create chaos or a divide. But, to make people aware of an important issue. And I'm honest about it each time I do it - because my readers and listeners expect that of me. My agenda or as I call it my cause, surrounds the Nationwide Series race in Mexico City. Bottom line I don't like it! In the coming weeks I'll write my annual column about the topic explaining my point of view, so look for it.

However, one topic that keeps popping up year after year that has the potential to create a divide in the NASCAR community is this discussion of implementing a Union for drivers.

Now before I go off on this, I want to make myself perfectly clear - I'm not slamming Unions. I'm not slamming people in Unions. I was at one time in my career in a Union, but I do believe that in the case of NASCAR and their drivers, Unions are not the answer.

It seems like year after year, reporters from the New York Times or newspapers like the one in Delaware, throw out the Union topic at a time when a driver is upset about a specific topic. Like yesterday, Mike Finney from The News Journal - DelawareOnline wrote about the Tony Stewart tire situation and said, "If Stewart had thought about it long enough, he might have realized that there is much more that he and his fellow drivers can do. This is the perfect time for the drivers in the Sprint Cup Series to form a union. Then they can have real leverage on matters such as tires, safety and races."

A New York Times reporter wrote the same type of verbiage in April 2007, as did an American Chronicle reporter in February 2007 and the list goes on and on.

While DelawareOnline's Finney points out that a Union would help solve issues of safety like the incident at Las Vegas with Jeff Gordon, or assist in answering scheduling issues, Mr. Finney misses the point that the drivers are independent minds and don't need a Union to help solve their challenges. In the case of Jeff Gordon, who is extremely respected among his peers and those of us who cover him, all he needed to do was say something. And guess what Mr. Finney? Jeff Gordon did! And the problem is going to be resolved without the need of a Union.

In the world of NASCAR, a Union is not needed to resolve conflict. No matter if you like it or not, a driver has a choice - drive in NASCAR or go do something else. I'm sorry, but using the example of players' unions as Mr. Finney did in his column doesn't impress me much either. Baseball, Football, and Hockey have players' unions and it seems to me it hasn't helped. From the high-ticket prices to players' strikes - it's not fun stuff.

I could not image having a strike in NASCAR. Let's see - Tony Stewart gets upset over tires and so they strike. Give me a break.

Tony Stewart signs too many autographs in a season, just let the Union fix it.

Jeff Gordon doesn't like running 500 miles - the Union can step in and get the job done. Oh brother!

So fans don't fall victim to believing that the drivers need a Union - they don't. NASCAR has implemented the safest car ever - and they didn't need a Union to get it done. Safer walls are in place - and they didn't need a Union to get it done. Drivers make a great living - and they didn't need a Union to get it done.

And if drivers truly have a problem, all they need to do is pick up the phone and call Mike Helton and plead their case. And Mr. Finney if you would like to talk to Mr. Helton about your solution to the world's problems, I can give you his number - I'm sure he'd enjoy speaking to you.

Contact SOZ at SpinOutZone@aol.com

RaceTalkRadio.com's

Official Newsletter

Want to listen to RTR

Shows? Click the listen live button!

The New ARCA Thunder

presented by

Rockingham Speedway

Tuesday's at 8pm on RTR