Over the last few years a number of wrestlers have parted ways with WWE and joined AEW. Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jake Hager happens to be one of them and fans can often see him featured on AEW TV with the Jericho Appreciation Society.
Recently Hager appeared on Story Time with Dutch Mantell and he discussed the topic of unions in professional wrestling. According to Jake Hager wrestlers were not allowed to talk about their contracts, or the idea of a union unless they wanted to get blacklisted from the company.
“While I was there (in WWE), that was like the four-letter word. Don’t talk about your contracts, and don’t talk about anything having to do with a union, otherwise, you’ll get blacklisted. I saw it happen. Someone…I can’t remember exactly, but they were complaining about something and they were talking about how we should all get together and get some power and I’m like, ‘It’s not that company.’ The biggest things with those WWE contracts are, they can cancel them anytime, and they’ve proven that they will, so what does it all really mean if you can’t rely on it? You sign your life away.”
“It proves the point that back then, and even when I was there, we didn’t have any options. There was only one game in town. Now we have AEW, so hopefully, the competition makes everything better for the performers. I think you will see that with contracts because you have more options and even overseas, they’re paying a little better.”
H/T Fightful
