E19: Wrestling is Work Part 2 - The NWA vs Labour Rights
The golden years of the National Wrestling Alliance are considered some of the best-ever for professional wrestling fans, featuring legendary wrestlers competing in historic matches over a title that truly mattered. At the same time, the NWA functioned as an illegal monopoly, stifling the labour rights of wrestlers and potential competitors. Union executive and wrestling fan Dave explores the many attempts of one wrestler to unionize within the NWA, and why he was doomed from the start.
Sources and Further Reading
Hornbaker, T. (2007). National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the monopoly that strangled pro wrestling. ECW Press.
Langmead, J. (2024). Ballyhoo!: The roughhousers, con artists, and wildmen who invented pro wrestling. Independently published.
McClean, R. (2019, February 13). WWE superstars’ salaries and wages 'revealed' with John Cena trailing Roman Reigns. Mirror. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/wrestling/wwe-superstars-salaries-wages-cena-14069375
Meltzer, D. (2024, February 19). Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Oun, A. (2023, April 7). The horrific true story about Vince McMahon and Ashley Massaro. FandomWire. https://fandomwire.com/the-horrific-true-story-about-vince-mcmahon-and-ashley-massaro/
Powell, D. (2020, November 23). Wrestlers have always wanted a union. Why don’t they have one? Organizing Work. https://organizing.work/2020/11/wrestlers-have-always-wanted-a-union-why-dont-they-have-one/
Riesman, A. J. (2023). Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the unmaking of America. Atria Books.
Stern, K. (2024). DragonKingKarl’s pioneer era pro wrestling omnibus: The Bible of the pioneer era of pro wrestling. When It Was Cool.
Todd, J. (1990). The origins of weight training inside the American university. Iron Game History: The Journal of Physical Culture, 1(2), 4–11. https://journalofphysicalculture.org/
Wilson, J., & Johnson, W. (2003). Chokehold: Pro wrestling’s real mayhem outside the ring.