Union Movement Mourns Gene Upshaw, 1945–2008

by Mike Hall, Aug 21, 2008

Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, has died, the association announced today.

According to news reports, the Pro Football Hall of Fame guard, considered one of the best offensive lineman ever, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just a few days ago. He was 63.

Upshaw, a native of Robstown, Texas, played 15 seasons with the Oakland Raiders, was named to the Pro Bowl seven times and played on two Super Bowl winning teams. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987.

Upshaw was active in the NFLPA as player representative for the Raiders and took part in his first negotiations in 1977. He was elected NFLPA president in 1980.

When his playing days ended, he became NFLPA executive director in 1983 and led the players through the 1987 strike that opened the door to free agency, allowing players to move from team to team. Full free agency was won at the bargaining table in 1993.

He is credited with bringing labor peace to the league after the two strikes in the 1980s and with winning better benefits for the players and a large share of the revenue that previously went into the owners’ pockets. He was elected to the AFL-CIO Executive Council in 1985.

Says AFL-CIO President John Sweeney:

Gene was a strong and effective advocate for NFL players, fighting successfully to reward the players’ hard work and athletic skill with a fair share in the prosperity of the league. What is less well known is his strong support of the larger labor movement and his conviction that the union for professional athletes should be a part of it.

Says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell:

He was the rare individual who earned his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame both for his accomplishments on the field and for his leadership of the players off the field. He fought hard for the players and always kept his focus on what was best for the game. His leadership played a crucial role in taking the NFL and its players to new heights.

In 2007, Upshaw was honored by the Alzheimer’s Association of New York for an NFLPA program to aid former ballplayers suffering from the disease.

Memorial service plans have not been finalized. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland or the Tahoe Cancer Center in Truckee, Calif. Click here for more information.

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