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Originally Posted by BlueLawyer
I would quote, but it's frankly more work than I want to do right now.
If I understand the themes/talking points of those who think the AMLU is wrong to strike, they are, generally:
1. College/high school/other good amatuer umpires can (and are) adequately replacing the AMLU guys.
2. Baseball, overall, is no worse off for the AMLU strike.
3. Since there are hundreds if not thousands of vult errrrrr fellow qualified umpires waiting in the wings to drive to Tulsa, Bakersfield, Rockford and Des Moines, the AMLU is wrong or wrongheaded to strike.
4. $15,000 is PLENTY of money for 5 months of work. The fact that the umpires have experienced a net pay cut over the life of the contract with inflation (in particular, health care costs and gasoline) is irrelevant. Any adult can live on $20 a day eating out and maintain a non-Froemming-like physique.
5. The AMLU guys all took the job knowing that MiLB thinks Scrooge's main problem was his boundless generosity. Therefore, the AMLU guys deserve to make what they make.
6. Umpiring the minor leagues is unlike brain surgery, teaching in an inner city, the Peace Corps, toting an M-60 in a combat zone or translating ancient Sanskrit. Therefore, comparing AMLU umpires to those professions is unfair, and minor league umpires don't deserve to make as much as any of those professionals. Therefore, it is ok for PBUC/MiLB to pay AAA umpires $15k a year.
7. On the other hand, umpiring in the minor leagues is unlike umpiring amatuer baseball at any level. Therefore, comparing AMLU umpires to their amatuer brothers and sisters is unfair, and there can be no just comparison for the compensation between the two groups. Therefore, it is ok for PBUC/MiLB to pay AAA umpires $15k a year.
8. On the still THIRD hand, umpiring in the minor leagues is unlike umpiring in the major leagues. Therefore, comparing AMLU umpires to their major league brethern is unfair, and there is no basis for comparison in their relative compensation packages. Therefore, it is ok for PBUC/MiLB to pay AAA umpires $15k a year.
Feel free (I know I don't have to invite) to correct any unfair characterizations or add any important points I have missed.
Here's the question to which I am led from MiLB/PBUC talking points six through eight above: What's the RIGHT comparison? "They are worth what PBUC will pay them" is a cop-out answer. But if those of us who support this union and its efforts to get a living wage are wrong in our analysis, tell us what the right analysis is, and support your answer with logic, please.
Strikes and outs!
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Where is the outrage?
Of all those in the umpire community the MLB umps know better than any one the poverty level pay scale, terrible work conditions, inordinate amount of unpaid overtime via extra inning games and the constant verbal abuse the MiLB are subjected to.
Most MiLB members and supporters want to condemn the so called 'scab' who more than likely is a middleaged man of moderate income with a family to support. The $100 he earns at this level far exceeds the $40 or 50 he normally gets and all the money he gets from umpiring will end up being eaten up by the family budget. (I'm speaking generally, not universally) So the money he earns goes towards raising a family. You also have the thrill factor of umpiring a professional game in front of thousands, that's something few umpires ever have the privelege of experiencing. But the replacement is a scab and worthy of all our disdain and hatred as well as deseving of being blackballed within our community.
But the MLB ump making $200 Gs is probably the only ump within our 'brotherhood' that can actually make an impact by striking. Why are they crossing the picket line(so to speak) and getting a free pass while Joe ump realizes a dream very few get to experience and is demonized for it.
If anyone is a scab in this it's the fat cat umps at MLB.
If you want to argue that it's not their fight then how can you argue that it's the fight of any replacement.
Why isn't the MiLB demonizing the MLB for not supporting the 'brotherhood'?
MLB has much more in common with MiLB than any 'amateur ump'
I think referring to the replacements as vultures is ridiculus if you don't also have just as much disdain for MLB for their lack of support.