Iaquinta joins unionization effort as interim secretary, treasurer

Get the Full StoryA high-profile UFC fighter has joined the Project Spearhead interim executive board. Al Iaquinta s support of Project Spearhead is public.

The UFC lightweight contender has joined the unionization effort as its interim secretary and treasurer, BloodyElbow.com learned Tuesday night. Project Spearhead announced the news on social media Wednesday morning.

Iaquinta has not yet commented on his Project Spearhead involvement.

Project Spearhead is the newest effort to organize MMA athletes. It was launched earlier this month by women s bantamweight Leslie Smith, who has long fought for fighter rights. She used to be involved with the MMAFA, a group that is trying to extend the Ali Act to MMA.

Smith is currently serving as the association s interim president.

Project Spearhead hopes to gather authorization cards from a minimum 150 fighters in the UFC, then have the National Labor Relations Board NLRB determine whether UFC fighters are employees or independent contractors. If they are considered employees, a vote will be held, and if the majority of UFC fighters are in favor of Project Spearhead, they will be able to unionize.

On the Project Spearhead interim executive board, Iaquinta joins UFC lightweight Kajan Johnson, the interim vice president, and labor lawyer Lucas Middlebrook, best known as Nick Diaz s attorney in his 2015 marijuana case.

Iaquinta faces Paul Felder at UFC 223 on April 7 in Brooklyn, New York.

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