Major League Baseball prepared to voluntarily recognize minor league union
2 years, 6 months ago

Major League Baseball prepared to voluntarily recognize minor league union

LA Times  

Major League Baseball is ready to voluntarily accept the formation of a minor league union, a key step that will lead to collective bargaining and possibly a strike threat at the start of next season. launched the unionization drive on Aug. 28 and told MLB on Tuesday it had obtained signed authorization cards from the approximately 5,000 to 6,500 players with minor league contracts. MLB raised weekly minimum salaries for minor leaguers last year to $400 at rookie and short-season levels, $500 at Class A, $600 at double A and $700 at triple A. The minor leaguers’ greatest leverage may be ahead of opening day, March 31 at triple A and April 6 at lower levels, when a strike could lead each team to keep its dozen or so unionized players on option at training complexes playing makeshift games.

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History of this topic

MLBPA, MLB agree to first minor-league CBA
1 year, 11 months ago

MLBPA, MLB agree to first minor-league CBA

New York Times  

MLB owners ratified the first-ever collective bargaining agreement in minor-league baseball history in a 30-0 vote, a landmark moment in the sport’s history, and for the players in particular. ET on March 29, Major League Baseball Players Association leadership notified thousands of minor-league players that the union had reached a tentative five-year agreement with MLB in time for Opening Day. …

Minor leaguers agree to CBA, strike five-year labor deal with MLB
1 year, 11 months ago

Minor leaguers agree to CBA, strike five-year labor deal with MLB

LA Times  

Baseball minor leaguers reached a historic initial collective bargaining agreement with Major League Baseball on Wednesday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The sides reached the deal two days before the start of the minor league season and hours after a federal judge gave final approval to a $185-million settlement reached with MLB last May of …

‘Hit the go button’: The six years that made baseball’s minor league union
2 years, 4 months ago

‘Hit the go button’: The six years that made baseball’s minor league union

New York Times  

When the longtime activist Bill Fletcher Jr. told friends he wanted to help minor leaguers form a union, they reacted the same way they had when he said he wanted to write a novel. “That’s when I fell back in love with baseball,” Fletcher said, “And it was basically for social reasons, social justice.” Many years later, in 2016, Fletcher’s …

Minor leaguers form union, 17 days after organizing began
2 years, 6 months ago

Minor leaguers form union, 17 days after organizing began

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — More than 5,500 minor league baseball players formed a union on Wednesday, completing a lightning-fast organization campaign that launched just 17 days earlier in an effort to boost annual salaries as low as $10,400. Martin Scheinman, the sport’s independent arbitrator, notified Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association that a majority of the 5,567 …

Minor league baseball union creates massive change nearly unthinkable 3 years ago
2 years, 6 months ago

Minor league baseball union creates massive change nearly unthinkable 3 years ago

New York Times  

Minor league players have a union, a monumental change for baseball and the culmination of an effort that moved at a blistering pace. “It’s no doubt going to be difficult to start a minor league union,” Garrett Broshuis said in March 2020, on a conference call introducing a new organization, Advocates for Minor Leaguers. Statement from MLBPA executive director Tony …

Baseball Players Union Joins AFL-CIO In Show Of Solidarity With Other Workers
2 years, 6 months ago

Baseball Players Union Joins AFL-CIO In Show Of Solidarity With Other Workers

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING The Major League Baseball Players Association plans to join the AFL-CIO labor federation, putting one of professional sports’ top unions in a formal alliance with other labor groups. “Whether you’re working on the pitch or on a baseball field or on a construction site, we’re all concerned about safe workplaces.” - Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO …

MLBPA wants to represent minor league baseball players
2 years, 6 months ago

MLBPA wants to represent minor league baseball players

LA Times  

Rob Manfred did not make his name in baseball as a former player, as a general manager or team president or team owner, or as a marketing or broadcasting executive. If enough minor league players agree, Manfred and the major league owners would no longer decide for themselves how much minor leaguers should be paid. “Poverty wages, oppressive reserve rules, …

MLBPA wants to unionize minor leaguers, takes first step by sending authorization cards to players
2 years, 6 months ago

MLBPA wants to unionize minor leaguers, takes first step by sending authorization cards to players

New York Times  

The players’ union long heralded as the strongest in sports, the Major League Baseball Players Association, wants to newly include minor-league players in its membership, a potentially massive change to the baseball landscape. “We strongly encourage you to become involved in this historic effort by signing the confidential authorization card.” The story on the MLBPA attempting to unionize minor leaguers: …

MLB to Congress: Without our antitrust exemption, players and fans lose
2 years, 7 months ago

MLB to Congress: Without our antitrust exemption, players and fans lose

LA Times  

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, shown in November, wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee that players could lose job opportunities and communities could lose minor league teams if baseball is stripped of its antitrust exemption. Instead, players could lose job opportunities and communities could lose minor league teams, the league said in a 17-page letter to the committee exploring whether to …

MLB players’ union rejects international draft proposal
2 years, 7 months ago

MLB players’ union rejects international draft proposal

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball’s goal of an international amateur draft was thwarted again when the players’ association rejected management’s final offer on Monday and retained direct draft-pick compensation for free agents. “The league’s responses fell well short of anything players could consider a fair deal.” As a result, the international signing bonus pool total for 2022-23 will remain …

MLB to pay minor leaguers $185 million to settle lawsuit
2 years, 8 months ago

MLB to pay minor leaguers $185 million to settle lawsuit

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball agreed to pay minor leaguers $185 million to settle a federal lawsuit alleging violations of minimum wage laws, a case that progressed through the courts for eight years without reaching a trial. “This settlement is a monumental step for minor league players toward a fair and just compensation system,” Garrett Broshuis, the players’ lead …

Freedom, faster? California bill could limit how long MLB teams control minor leaguers
3 years ago

Freedom, faster? California bill could limit how long MLB teams control minor leaguers

LA Times  

State Sen. Josh Becker said Tuesday he plans to introduce legislation that would require major league teams to grant a player freedom after four years in the minor leagues, instead of seven. Sen. Josh Becker said Tuesday he plans to introduce legislation that would require teams to grant a player freedom after four years in the minors instead of seven. …

Major League Baseball labor agreement details
3 years ago

Major League Baseball labor agreement details

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Details of the memorandum of understanding agreed to Thursday by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association, as obtained by The Associated Press. For a free agent who had spent the entire season with one team, there would would be four compensation tiers based on: — $25 million in guaranteed salary or $18 million …

MLB cancels 93 more games, gap narrows in bargaining
3 years ago

MLB cancels 93 more games, gap narrows in bargaining

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. MLB said it would not make a new counteroffer …

MLB, union bargain past midnight to salvage 162-game season
3 years ago

MLB, union bargain past midnight to salvage 162-game season

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Negotiators for locked-out players and Major League Baseball bargained past midnight for the second time in a week, and Commissioner Rob Manfred’s Tuesday deadline to reach a deal preserving a 162-game season passed with no announcement. Union chief negotiator Bruce Meyer and general counsel Ian Penny headed a bargaining team that met in the morning at MLB’s …

MLB pushes labor-deal deadline to Tuesday for March 31 start
3 years ago

MLB pushes labor-deal deadline to Tuesday for March 31 start

Associated Press  

JUPITER, Fla. — Major League Baseball extended its deadline for salvaging opening day and a 162-game season until Tuesday at 5 p.m. after a marathon of 13 bargaining sessions over 16 1/2 hours produced progress toward a deal but left the sides still far apart. The union said it didn’t necessarily agree to the timeframe and just as the sides …

Scant progress the final blow to on-time MLB spring training
3 years, 1 month ago

Scant progress the final blow to on-time MLB spring training

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The final blow has been dealt to an on-time start to spring training, with Major League Baseball making a new offer Saturday that the players’ association received as only scant progress in the drawn-out labor talks. For a free agent who had spent the entire season with one team, there would would be four tiers based on: …

Locked out MLB players reject offer of federal mediation
3 years, 1 month ago

Locked out MLB players reject offer of federal mediation

LA Times  

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says his side is being proactive, not wanting to risk a late-season strike similar to the one that wiped out the 1994 World Series. The start of spring training probably will be a casualty of Major League Baseball’s lockout, which will threaten opening day unless the drawn-out talks lead to a deal in less than a …

MLB sued by 4 former affiliates over minor league cuts
3 years, 2 months ago

MLB sued by 4 former affiliates over minor league cuts

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Four minor league teams that lost their big league affiliations before the 2021 season have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Major League Baseball, using a law firm that has represented players’ unions. Parent companies of the Staten Island Yankees, Tri-City Valley Cats, Norwich Sea Unicorns and Salem-Keizer Volcanoes filed suit Monday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, …

The numbers behind the proposals: Can we determine how much money is at issue in baseball’s labor battle?
3 years, 3 months ago

The numbers behind the proposals: Can we determine how much money is at issue in baseball’s labor battle?

New York Times  

The battle lines are solidifying in baseball’s current labor strife. One of the proposals has been to cut the number of pre-arbitration years to two instead of three, and to correctly assess that, one would need to model all of the year-to-year raises players would get and then account for the added money the star players would get in a …

MLB decision to provide housing for minor leaguers was sparked by players themselves, could have ‘drastic impact’
3 years, 4 months ago

MLB decision to provide housing for minor leaguers was sparked by players themselves, could have ‘drastic impact’

New York Times  

To a leading voice in the push to reform baseball’s minor leagues, MLB’s decision to require teams to provide housing for minor-league players was a change sparked by the players themselves. “The culture around the minor leagues for decades has been one of silence, where players were expected to keep quiet and endure exploitative and frankly dehumanizing conditions,” said Harry …

MLB to require teams to provide housing for minor-league players in ’22: Source
3 years, 4 months ago

MLB to require teams to provide housing for minor-league players in ’22: Source

New York Times  

Major League Baseball will require teams to provide housing for its minor-league players starting in 2022, a source confirmed to The Athletic, as first reported by ESPN. “This is a historic victory for Minor League baseball players,” said Advocates for Minor Leaguers executive director Harry Marino in a statement Sunday evening. “When we started talking to players this season about …

Minor leagues get a reset with 120-team regional alignment
4 years, 1 month ago

Minor leagues get a reset with 120-team regional alignment

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has reorganized its minor leagues in a 120-team regional alignment. Top minor leaguers probably will spend April at alternate training camps, used by MLB teams to keep potential callups in shape last year, when the entire minor league schedule was canceled due to the virus. The minors are being run from MLB’s office in …

MLB proposes delayed 154-game season and expanded playoffs to players
4 years, 1 month ago

MLB proposes delayed 154-game season and expanded playoffs to players

LA Times  

The Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays before Game 3 of the World Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Major League Baseball has proposed delaying the season by about a month and playing the World Series in November, said people familiar with the matter but not authorized to speak publicly Sunday. The owners also asked the players’ union …

MLB players’ union proposes 70-game season
4 years, 8 months ago

MLB players’ union proposes 70-game season

LA Times  

Baseball union chief Tony Clark is working on a “a jointly developed framework” with Commissioner Rob Manfred to start the 2020 MLB season. Two days after major league owners thought they had a deal for a 60-game season, the players’ union on Thursday proposed a 70-game season. That could set the stage for a settlement of 65 or so games, …

AP sources: MLB players cut to 89 games, want prorated money
4 years, 9 months ago

AP sources: MLB players cut to 89 games, want prorated money

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Baseball players moved toward teams but remained far apart economically in their latest proposal for starting the pandemic-delayed season, adamant they receive full prorated salaries while offering to cut the regular season to 89 games. The players’ plan would have the World Series end in mid-to-late November, and players said they would accept MLB’s proposal to have …

MLBPA to MLB owners: How about an 89-game season?
4 years, 9 months ago

MLBPA to MLB owners: How about an 89-game season?

LA Times  

In their latest restart proposal to MLB owners amid the coronavirus outbreak, the players are pushing for an 89-game season with prorated salaries. If the final move is that Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred mandates the shorter season, that could be disastrous on three fronts: public perception of a league in which stars might sit out rather than play …

Angels commit to paying minor league players through June
4 years, 9 months ago

Angels commit to paying minor league players through June

LA Times  

Like most teams in Major League Baseball, the Angels will pay their minor leaguers at least through the end of June, said two people familiar with the team’s decision. The Angels on Friday became the 29th team to commit to paying minor leaguers beyond May 31. Despite no guarantee that a minor league season will be played, the Kansas City …

AP source: MLB players offer 114-game season, no more $ cuts
4 years, 9 months ago

AP source: MLB players offer 114-game season, no more $ cuts

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball players ignored claims by clubs that they need to take additional pay cuts, instead proposing they receive a far higher percentage of salaries and commit to a longer schedule as part of a counteroffer to start the coronavirus-delayed season. Opening day would be June 30 and the regular season would end Oct. 31, nearly …

Players call MLB economic proposal `extremely disappointing’
4 years, 9 months ago

Players call MLB economic proposal `extremely disappointing’

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — A rookie at the major league minimum would keep about 47% of his original salary this year while multimillionaire stars Mike Trout and Gerrit Cole would lose more than 77% under a sliding-scale proposal by big league teams that players found “extremely disappointing.” Major League Baseball made the proposal to the players’ union on Tuesday during a …

AP source: Minors prepared to accept cut to 120 affiliates
4 years, 10 months ago

AP source: Minors prepared to accept cut to 120 affiliates

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The minor leagues are prepared to agree to Major League Baseball’s proposal to cut guaranteed affiliations from 160 to 120 next year, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press, a plan that would impact hundreds of prospects and cut player development expenses. In informal talks, parties have discussed the possibility of a radical overhaul …

MLB players union discusses opening season in empty stadiums, Angels’ Andrew Heaney says
4 years, 11 months ago

MLB players union discusses opening season in empty stadiums, Angels’ Andrew Heaney says

LA Times  

The Major League Baseball players union has discussed beginning the season by playing games without fans in ballparks just to expedite a return to normality, Angels pitcher and union representative Andrew Heaney said Tuesday. “Therapeutic is a little bit overboard but it can be really helpful for people in tough times, going through tough situations, to be able to flip …

MLB agrees to pay minor league players a stipend through May
4 years, 11 months ago

MLB agrees to pay minor league players a stipend through May

LA Times  

By the end of May, it should be clear whether professional baseball will be played at all this season. Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that a weekly $400 stipend for minor league players has been extended through May 31. Major league team owners, not minor league team owners, pay minor league players. But the agreement between major league owners and …

Details of MLB-players’ union agreement on 2020, ’21 seasons
4 years, 11 months ago

Details of MLB-players’ union agreement on 2020, ’21 seasons

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Details of the agreement Thursday between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association, as obtained by The Associated Press: STARTING SEASON There must be no government restrictions on mass gatherings or travel restrictions throughout the U.S. and Canada, provided the commissioner will consider “appropriate substitute neutral sites where economically feasible.” The commissioner must determine, …

AP Exclusive: MLB raises salaries for minor leaguers in 2021
5 years, 1 month ago

AP Exclusive: MLB raises salaries for minor leaguers in 2021

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball is raising the minimum salary for minor league players in 2021, according to a memo sent Friday from the commissioner’s office to all 30 teams and obtained by The Associated Press. “I think it’ll keep guys mentally in it longer,” said Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Joe Mantiply, who has played six minor league seasons. Said …

MLB threatens to walk away from Minor League Baseball
5 years, 3 months ago

MLB threatens to walk away from Minor League Baseball

LA Times  

Major League Baseball threw a high, hard brushback pitch at Minor League Baseball late Friday night: Shut up and negotiate, or we’ll run our own minor league system without you. MLB quickly responded, choosing not to rebut the MiLB statement point-by-point but instead to threaten to end minor league baseball as we know it. “Otherwise, MLB clubs will be free …

‘If we are forced to defend ourselves and fight for our mere survival, we will’: MiLB president responds to MLB plan
5 years, 4 months ago

‘If we are forced to defend ourselves and fight for our mere survival, we will’: MiLB president responds to MLB plan

New York Times  

Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball have 11 months to bridge an enormous chasm. In an interview Friday, Minor League president Pat O’Conner called the plan radical and said those 42 teams would be “basically given a death sentence.” “Those communities will lose their baseball as a result of the economics,” O’Conner said. If you don’t, we’ll go find …

Column: Minor league baseball players exploring union as they continue to battle low wages
6 years, 6 months ago

Column: Minor league baseball players exploring union as they continue to battle low wages

LA Times  

Fans participate in the “YMCA” song between innings during Rancho Cucamonga’s minor league baseball game against the Inland Empire 66ers on June 29. Larry Landon, the executive director of the Professional Hockey Players Assn., said he has taken numerous calls from minor league baseball players interested in learning whether the PHPA model could work in baseball. “I personally think it’s …

Baseball players in minors to lose minimum wage protection
6 years, 11 months ago

Baseball players in minors to lose minimum wage protection

Associated Press  

Minor league baseball players who make as little as $5,500 a season were stripped of the protection of federal minimum wage laws under a provision in government spending legislation signed Friday. The “Save America’s Pastime Act” is included on page 1,967 of the $1.3 trillion spending bill and appears to pre-empt a lawsuit filed four years ago in U.S. District …

Minor leaguers could be paid minimum wage — and no more
6 years, 11 months ago

Minor leaguers could be paid minimum wage — and no more

LA Times  

As a freshman at the University of Missouri, Max Scherzer was not the most effective pitcher on his team. Buried within, on page 1,967, it notes that minor leaguers must be paid “a weekly salary equal to the minimum wage.” First-year minor leaguers make $1,100 per month. “Our principal problem in the minor league wage lawsuit is that the administration …

APNewsBreak: Ohtani agent asks MLB teams for written answers
7 years, 3 months ago

APNewsBreak: Ohtani agent asks MLB teams for written answers

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Major league teams were given homework this weekend by Shohei Ohtani. The memo from Nez Balelo, co-head of CAA Baseball, was distributed to all 30 teams by the commissioner’s office late Friday along with materials for the Dec. 1 vote on a new posting agreement between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball. Balelo’s memo asks for …

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