Q: Whenever a professional sports league has a lockout, or goes on strike, the first thing the players do is to decertify their union. Why is that done? How does it help resolve the disputes?
Billy Peeler, Birmingham
A: Unions decertify or dissolve to allow individual players to file antitrust lawsuits against their respective leagues. When the NFL Players Association decertified its union in the first days of the lockout, a group of players – including high-profile quarterbacks Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning -- filed a 52-page lawsuit in a U.S. District Court and requested a temporary restraining order that would have lifted the lockout and allowed the players to practice and play, according to the Los Angeles Times and the New York Post. In the suit, the players alleged "that the NFL conspired to deny their ability to market their services," according to the Times.
Q: Since the changes to the Ga. 400 toll lanes, I have noticed that the toll booths are extremely backed up in the morning (around 8:30 a.m.) and in the evening (around 5 p.m.). What caused this massive backup?
Susan Fitzgerald, Roswell
A: There may have been intermittent delays while the State Road and Tollway Authority tested and fine-tuned the new equipment in the cash lanes, Malika Reed Wilkins, authority spokeswoman told Q&A on the News in an email.
Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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