For those of you who were wondering about whether the umpires are a union or not...I can fill you in since I was a member when it started.
In 2001, the National Labor Relations Board formally recognized the Association of Minor League Umpires as the collective bargaining agent of the minor league umpires.
The first contract was approved in spring training of the 2001 season. The original contract, if can believe this, was worse than the first one negotiated by the AMLU in their official capacity in 2001. The first contract I signed in the 90's was one page...ONE PAGE, front and back, that basically gave you a salary, some legal mumbo-jumbo, and a clause that said, "We can fire you for anything...bad mustache, chronic halitosis..." (OK, maybe not that wording, but you get the idea
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The contract was for five seasons, expiring at the end of the 2005 season. They negotiated for six months, and have not come up with a solution yet. Can you imagine why? Therefore, they are a legally established union, recognized by the federal government, and they can legally strike since they are still bound as employer/bargaining group.
I know I'm probably screwing up the legaleze of my statements, but the umpires did not give up they're jobs...that was in 99. LOL
thatballzlow, boys