That’s the thing, the RLPA had terrible numbers when it was a paid membership, what happens now, is the NRL funds the RLPA directly, so all players are covered by the RLPA, rather than it being a traditional membership Union. Effectively, the couple of million it that is used to fund the RLPA is taken from the overall amount of money set aside for the players. The NRL did this to help try and create a strong players voice/Union, yet the RLPA act like the NRL are going to run off and sell their medical
records for millions to China…. Ridiculous as always.
The NRL should scrap the current RLPA funding model, put that couple of million back onto the salary cap and let it go back to being a paid membership, see how many players value the RLPA enough to not pocket the extra cash instead of paying a membership.
Ok based on this it doesn't sound like a union then as being part of a union is optional (and if my memory serves me correctly compulsory unionism was made illegal).
The reason why I raise this is funding. If the RLPA says its "our money" then fine, the NRL should do as you've said above and increase the spend to reflect the number of players and push it through the salary cap and let the players make a choice of it they want to be part of a union.
You have to remember that you don't have be a union member to get the benefits of what a union negotiates with an employer, so it would be interesting to see how united all players are on the current negotiations.