"The violence that has occurred cannot be condoned and has no place in the way that labor relations and inter-union relations should be conducted, " said Mildred Oliphant, the minister of labor.

CNN: August 17, 2012 -- Updated 0129 GMT (0929 HKT)

Benson has filed a claim against both sides: (1) he appealed his NFL suspension right back to Commissioner Goodell, an appeal that will be heard today in New York and (2) he filed an unfair labor practice charge against his own union with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

FORBES: Locked-Out Discipline

Labor groups have tried for years to form a union, filing dozens of complaints with the National Labor Relations Board.

WSJ: Mixed-Martial Arts Wins Political Support in N.Y., Conn.