Major League baseball players joining AFL-CIO; Minor Leaguers seeking to organize

Baseball fans were delighted with dual news last week affecting America’s favorite pastime:

• A unionization drive among Minor League baseball players was launched by the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) in an effort to bring equity to young players.
• Affiliation with the AFL-CIO by the MLB Players Association itself was announced Sept. 7. The MLPBA is formally affiliating with the AFL-CIO and will join the AFL-CIO’s newly formed Sports Council whose membership includes NFL Players Association, the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association, the United Soccer League Players Association-CWA, the U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association and the newly organized United Football Players Association-USW.

TO HELP MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS
There are currently some 4,500 minor-league players under contract with major league baseball teams during the season. The MLBPA sent union authorization cards to them which will allow the young players to vote for an election, which could make them MLBPA members. Ninety percent of the nation’s 4,500 players signed authorization cards in the first week they were available.

Noting that the organizing campaign is an investment in the future of baseball, MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark said, “Minor Leaguers represent our game’s future and deserve wages and working conditions that befit elite athletes who entertain millions of baseball fans nationwide.”

Joining is a two-step process:

• Thirty percent of minor-league players will need to sign the authorization card. A formal election will be held if that threshold is reached.
• A formal election will be held. A majority vote will require Major League Baseball (MLP), the owners association, to recognize the union under Labor law. MLB and the MLBPA would then collectively bargain on behalf of minor leaguers.

The news comes not long after MLB agreed to pay $185 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed by minor leaguers seeking pay for spring training, extended spring training, and instructional league. Players are not paid during those periods. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2014.

‘HOME IN LABOR MOVEMENT’
“The MLBPA and every single one of its 1,200 players have a home in our movement because this union understands and lives the meaning of the word solidarity by leveraging the power of sports and helping others,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.

“Together, with our 12.5 million members, we will bring our strength to their fights, including working to organize 5,400 minor league players.”

“The MLBPA has a proud, 56-year history of success rooted in unity and a highly engaged membership,” Executive Director Tony Clark said. “We look forward to bringing that history and experience to bear as a more formal part of the movement.”