Daffney Vs TNA: The Most Important Decision You May Not Know About
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Young Gunner
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Here's an article where former TNA Wrestler Daffney is challenging the "independant contractor" status in wrestling.
It has been around nine months since we had any update on Daffney‘s Workers’ Compensation claim against TNA, but Ringbelles has secured some information on the situation, and it could potentially lead to one of the biggest shake-ups in wrestling history. It could cause ripple effects not just through TNA, but also to WWE.
It was always telling that Daffney (Shannon Spruill) filed a Workers’ Comp lawsuit instead of a personal injury one, which could have been another avenue for her to be compensated for concussions which she suffered on TNA shows and effectively ended her in-ring career. The reason for that is because she wants to test the claim that wrestlers are “independent contractors”, which means that they are responsible for their own medical insurance and do not enjoy the same sort of protection and benefits that a regular employee would – similar to the lawsuit that Raven, Mike Sanders and Chris Kanyon filed against WWE back in 2008 – but was dismissed, partly because their claims were barred by statute of limitations.
TNA is to mediate with Spruill tomorrow – if a settlement is not reached, the case will go to court, when it will then be up to a judge to see if wrestlers under a contract, booked to appear at places on certain dates, be told to execute a planned outcome and not have the freedom to accept booking elsewhere are truly “independent contractors” or if they should be classified as employees. Rather than just looking to satisfy her medical bills which have left her out of pocket, Spruill’s case could create a legal judgement which means all wrestlers in places like WWE and TNA could legally have to become staff.
Were that to happen, both companies would likely have to face huge tax bills as well as an increase in costs due to having to sort out benefits and insurance. On the flip side, the wrestlers on the roster would have medical cover for their injuries. That would be more of an issue in TNA than WWE, considering wrestlers working for Vince McMahon are generally well taken care of, while there have been cases in TNA such as with Ron “R-Truth” Killings, Konnan and Jesse Neal where medical bills were a cause of tension, and April Hunter pointed out having to sign a medical waiver was a big reason why she never signed to wrestle with them.
It is possible that TNA would not want a lot of its ? laundry aired in public as part of a court case where there could be a chance that a judge could decide that wrestlers should be classified as employees. There may be a settlement at the mediation stage tomorrow, with a confidentiality agreement signed which would bar Spruill from discussing the case any further. However, should that not happen and mediation ends without a settlement, the issue will be taken to court for a hearing on the motion on the same day.
Tomorrow could be a massive day for pro wrestling and pro wrestlers. We’ll keep you posted.
- Lee Burton
It has been around nine months since we had any update on Daffney‘s Workers’ Compensation claim against TNA, but Ringbelles has secured some information on the situation, and it could potentially lead to one of the biggest shake-ups in wrestling history. It could cause ripple effects not just through TNA, but also to WWE.
It was always telling that Daffney (Shannon Spruill) filed a Workers’ Comp lawsuit instead of a personal injury one, which could have been another avenue for her to be compensated for concussions which she suffered on TNA shows and effectively ended her in-ring career. The reason for that is because she wants to test the claim that wrestlers are “independent contractors”, which means that they are responsible for their own medical insurance and do not enjoy the same sort of protection and benefits that a regular employee would – similar to the lawsuit that Raven, Mike Sanders and Chris Kanyon filed against WWE back in 2008 – but was dismissed, partly because their claims were barred by statute of limitations.
TNA is to mediate with Spruill tomorrow – if a settlement is not reached, the case will go to court, when it will then be up to a judge to see if wrestlers under a contract, booked to appear at places on certain dates, be told to execute a planned outcome and not have the freedom to accept booking elsewhere are truly “independent contractors” or if they should be classified as employees. Rather than just looking to satisfy her medical bills which have left her out of pocket, Spruill’s case could create a legal judgement which means all wrestlers in places like WWE and TNA could legally have to become staff.
Were that to happen, both companies would likely have to face huge tax bills as well as an increase in costs due to having to sort out benefits and insurance. On the flip side, the wrestlers on the roster would have medical cover for their injuries. That would be more of an issue in TNA than WWE, considering wrestlers working for Vince McMahon are generally well taken care of, while there have been cases in TNA such as with Ron “R-Truth” Killings, Konnan and Jesse Neal where medical bills were a cause of tension, and April Hunter pointed out having to sign a medical waiver was a big reason why she never signed to wrestle with them.
It is possible that TNA would not want a lot of its ? laundry aired in public as part of a court case where there could be a chance that a judge could decide that wrestlers should be classified as employees. There may be a settlement at the mediation stage tomorrow, with a confidentiality agreement signed which would bar Spruill from discussing the case any further. However, should that not happen and mediation ends without a settlement, the issue will be taken to court for a hearing on the motion on the same day.
Tomorrow could be a massive day for pro wrestling and pro wrestlers. We’ll keep you posted.
- Lee Burton
Comments
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I never understood why they were considered "independent contractors" anyway. They are clearly employees, especially in WWE where there are really long term contracts, a dress code, drug testing, codes of conduct etc.
I haven't seen a good reason to consider them independent contractors yet. -
I hope she wins
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If she wins WWE will be firing Rey mysterio bet that
Smash on daffney -
Former Knockout Daffney Protests at TNA Knockouts PPV Taping
Just days after getting a settlement with her lawsuit against TNA, former Knockout Daffney held a protest at the recent taping for the One Night Only Pay Per View “Knockouts Knockdown”.
Attending with indy scene veteran Amber O’Neal, the two held a sign reading “I’M HERE INDEPENDENTLY!” - a direct reference to the lawsuit between Daffney and TNA where she challenged her status as an “independent contractor”. According to WrestlingNewsWorld.com, the action was “definitely a shoot”.
Curiously, while O’Neal took part in the protest, her tag team partner in WOW Women of Wrestling Santana Garrett was an actual part of the PPV in a losing effort. Garrett and O’Neal are the current WOW Tag Team Champions.
[img]https://sphotos-b.? .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/484298_357761210995457_464547916_n.jpg[/img] -
I hate for it to come to this but I think the workers should jus unionize and stop working until they are treating with the proper employee rights & respect
WWE & TNA make too much money off these people to not wanna help them when they need it
