Minor Leaguers as the Working Poor

[weams]

Baseball has been able to pay minor leaguers low wages partly because of a historical exemption from antitrust law. The exemption allows baseball to unilaterally set salaries and working conditions for minor league players. Without this exemption, minor league players could theoretically sue under the Sherman Act, and argue that big league and minor league owners have conspired to unreasonably limit salaries. While this exemption was narrowed by the Curt Flood Act of 1998, it remains in effect for Minor League Baseball.

Baseball has also benefited by the inability of minor league players to form a union, which could advocate for higher player compensation and hold leverage through the power to strike. There have been multiple unionization efforts over the years, but none have convinced minor leaguers to join hands. The failure of unionization likely reflects different career priorities for prospects and veteran minor leaguers and fear of retaliation by big league teams. Unless they have appeared on a big league team's 40-man roster, minor leaguers are not members of Major League Baseball Players' Association.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mlb/news/20140212/minor-league-baseball-players-lawsuit/#ixzz2uS4H4EhF

Over the years I've heard many of the Orioles minor leaguers and folks around the affiliates speak on this subject. What are your views? No politics please as always.

[Redskins Rick]

Over the years I've heard many of the Orioles minor leaguers and folks around the affiliates speak on this subject. What are your views? No politics please as always.

Not sure if all the teams do this, but I remember something in the Wash Post several Bowie families that provide free room and grub to Bowie players, so they dont have to pay out of pocket for a place to stay while in season.

[Can_of_corn]

Sure they are not paid enough but they signed up for it. They can quit at any time. Not sure how it is different from someone waiting tables in NY or LA trying to break into the entertainment biz.

[clapdiddy]

I think it's part of the price you pay to get into "The Show". I didn't read the article, but I would think that most of these guys know what they are getting into when they sign up.

[bobmc]

I love the "old school" aspect of guys living with families, etc., but they are underpaid. Unfortunately, if they raise wages, either teams will have to discontinue some teams or add to the prices we pay for seats, concessions, etc. - much like, well I will avoid politics.

[El Gordo]

Over the years I've heard many of the Orioles minor leaguers and folks around the affiliates speak on this subject. What are your views? No politics please as always.

I don't see how you can avoid politics when discussing Unionization, and whether the anti trust exemption should be lifted or not.

[atomic]

The major league players could agree to donate 10 percent of their salary to the minor league players to bring up their salary. I think that would allow the players to be brought up above the poverty level easily.

I don't understand why players don't go to college first. It would be a no-brainer to me. You have the college education to fall back on and you can most likely start at a higher level than if you went in straight from high school.

[kman123]

10% is a lot of money. Would you take the average salary of the ML roster and redistribute it to MiL players? I can't think of a fair scenario where you skim off the ML player salary and give it to MiL players.

[srock]

The major league players could agree to donate 10 percent of their salary to the minor league players to bring up their salary. I think that would allow the players to be brought up above the poverty level easily.

I don't understand why players don't go to college first. It would be a no-brainer to me. You have the college education to fall back on and you can most likely start at a higher level than if you went in straight from high school.

I know some guys who played in college and some that went straight to the draft. For many, college ball is not really an option unless your talking community college. They were not academic type people, they are taking a shot at being a pro-athlete and the fallback position is often farmer or truck driver. And there is nothing wrong with those jobs, but for these people, college is not the answer.

[Number5]

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[El Gordo]

I was a member of the AEA for years and they did nothing for me except to insure safe workplace conditions. I many cases they made it harder for me to get work. I finally withdrew because it was much easier to get work non union. However the price I pay is to get paid one third or less for a similar role and have no insurance over working conditions. The producers charge virtually the same for tickets as a Union show would, and pay the actors a pittance. E.g. a non union ensemble member might get $350 a week plus per diem, and a union ensemble member could get as much as $2000 per week. Very similar to MiL players IMO. Except the difference in talent level isn't as great as in MLB.

[srock]

Over the years I've heard many of the Orioles minor leaguers and folks around the affiliates speak on this subject. What are your views? No politics please as always.

If the MLBPA cast a wider net, say it included anyone in A, AA, AAA, and the 40 man it would solve this issue. It would also drastically change the entire landscape of MLB.

Note: I have no idea how the political or legal systems work. It may not be possible for MLBPA to expand without significant legislative action.

Somethings that would likely change:

The CBA would push for higher wages at the lower levels (more of its members are in the lower end) and would give concessions allowing ownership to keep the high end contracts lower. For example the salary cap option comes into play as a trade piece since a salary cap would have no impact on the vast majority of union members. Career minor leagues would gladly accept a salary cap if they could get salary minimum (significantly above the current levels) as well.

Ownership may very will dump some of its lower minor league teams as it becomes more expensive to operate a team like Aberdeen and Delmarva. Classic economics, price of labor goes up, number of jobs goes down.

[El Gordo]

Isn't there a MiL minimum and if so what is it? Or can the owners pay whatever they want.

[Redskins Rick]

Isn't there a MiL minimum and if so what is it? Or can the owners pay whatever they want.

Sounds like 1,100 a month according to this source:

http://www.bucsdugout.com/2013/1/14/3874488/minor-league-baseball-players-still-paid-next-to-nothing

[weams]

I don't see how you can avoid politics when discussing Unionization, and whether the anti trust exemption should be lifted or not.

Please avoid it. Thanks.