Konnan Wants To Unionize WWE And AEW, Believes Talent Should Get Pensions

The talk of professional wrestlers unionizing is certainly nothing new, and every so often, it makes the rounds again. During a recent mailbag session on his "K100" podcast, Konnan expressed his desire to see WWE and AEW unionize, and he didn't stop there.

"I would unionize the two big companies [WWE and AEW] because it's a shame," he began. "And it's f***ing highway robbery that we don't have pensions, that we don't get overtime, that we don't have workman's comp. There's so many things that we get f***ed on."

Back in the '80s, former Governor of Minnesota and WWE Hall of Famer Jesse "The Body" Ventura pushed to unionize with his fellow professional wrestlers. This came about when Ventura was getting ready to film "Predator" and had joined the Screen Actors Guild as a result. However, any talk of unionization was halted the moment Hulk Hogan gave word to Vince McMahon of Ventura's speech. 

The status of professional wrestlers as independent contractors is still questioned to this day. Konnan's co-host Disco Inferno disagreed, saying he wouldn't want to unionize while wondering aloud who wrestlers would look to as their union leader. 

He also questioned whether all professional wrestlers would even want to unionize in the first place. "I thought the system was fine the way it was set up." Konnan wasted no time in responding with a simple "I didn't," before asking why wrestlers shouldn't get a pension like sportspersons. "If football players and basketball players get a pension, why don't we?" questioned Konnan.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "K100" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.