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Originally Posted by Gazette
Andy Roberts, 32, has been an umpire for seven years and was promoted to the Triple-A International League last season. Roberts said no AMLU member has crossed the picket line.
“We haven’t had a pay increase in over 10 years,” Roberts said. “Before we unionized in 2000, there had been a pay cut and a pay freeze.”
Roberts said the average salary for Triple-A umpires is $15,000. It’s $12,500 for Double-A, $10,000 for A and about $5,000 for short-season rookie leagues.
Major league umpires make between $90,000 and $350,000 with benefits and a quality pension. Most minor league umpires have offseason jobs.
Roberts, who played in college at Birmingham Southern, works for a life insurance company and owns a kids baseball school.
“If you’re not a bachelor living with mom and dad, it’s hard to make a living,” said Roberts, who is married with a 17-month-old daughter.
Roberts said the AMLU wants a 20 percent increase in salary, a significant per diem increase ($25 to $40 for Triple-A), improvement in on-field evaluation and an unbiased arbitrator to resolve disputes.
They have been offered $100 a month more in salary and $1 more per day in per diem, but that is countered by an increase from $100 to $500 per year in insurance deductibles.
“That wipes out our raise,” Roberts said.
With low pay, endless driving from series to series, time away from family and little chance of reaching the majors, why become a minor league umpire?
“It’s a love for the game,” Roberts said. “But it’s extremely difficult for five months on the road, and the incentive is less than it has been in the past.”
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