Football players at Northwestern University will vote later this month to decide whether or not they want a union to represent them.

The April 24 vote comes after the regional director of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled last week that the players should be allowed to unionize if they so choose. 

The university has already voiced plans to appeal the decision and they have until next week to file a request for review of NLRB regional director Peter Sung Ohr's ruling. If the Washington arm of the NLRB accepts the request for review before the April 24 vote date the election would be postponed. A majority of the 76 Northwestern football players would need to vote in favor of unionizing in order for the College Athletes Players Association (CAPA) to be allowed to bargain for the athletes.

The issue may eventually make its way to federal court.