Goldman on Unite Here v. UFC
October 7, 2008
Eddie Goldman is host of the popular No Holds Barred radio show and one of the most respected journalist in MMA. As a New Yorker and also a longtime union member and supporter, Goldman shared his opinion on the battle for sanctioning in New York with MMAPayout.com:
I think they (Unite Here) made a tactical mistake in making opposition to MMA in NY part of their corporate campaign against the Fertittas and Station Casinos. They made no friends in the process, and will only lose on this issue in the end. They lucked out when this assembly member went on his rant about “human cockfighting,” and the rest of the Tourism committee bought it, which also shows the ineffectiveness of UFC’s and Ratner’s education of this committee.
I wholeheartedly support the efforts of the Culinary Workers Union and Unite Here to organize the non-union facilities in Las Vegas, including those of the notoriously anti-union Fertitta family. I also support Local 226′s “Do Not Patronize” list of non-union properties. Those positions are basic for me.
But I also support legalization and sanctioning of combat sports like mixed martial arts and kickboxing. I have vociferously held that position for many years, and opposed the New York law banning them when it was hastily and unjustly passed in 1997.
I think the leadership of Unite Here would have better served the cause of working people if they had supported legalizing combat sports in New York, and then raised the issue of the onerous contracts fighters have to sign to work for promotions like UFC and others.
Such a stance did not keep UFC from making millions elsewhere, but only diminished the earnings of fighters and others who work in the combat sports in and around New York.
An injury to one is an injury to all, and their position on this particular issue lost sight of this.
In solidarity with all working men and women,
Eddie Goldman, No Holds Barred.
