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Originally Posted by Tim C
First let me say I am very fortunate. I umpire in an area where the assigining commissioner will not assign umpires to any game unless the entire league has paid, in full, all umpire fees for the current season. That is one of the advantages of working in a well organized and coordinated umpire association.
Sadly we don't umpire ALL the games that are played in the great Portland (OR) area.
So I got THE call last night.
"Hey Tee, this is Jon . . . we are having a huge problem . . . our umpires aren't getting paid."
After 10 minutes of his emotional cry for help I said the following:
"Jon, it is the fault of YOUR group for not having contracts and a payment schedule . . . it is your fault if you assign ONE MORE umpire to this league."
Obviously that is not what Jon wanted to hear . . .
So I ask all of you:
"How do you get paid (primarily during the summer) and be assured that all umpires in your group get their fair pay for games worked?"
Is this just a local problem or are people not paying their bills elsewhere?
Thanks,
Tee
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Tee we get paid at the plate conference EXCEPT for tournaments in which the assignor collects the money UP FRONT and pays us after the tournament
If by chance we get a bad check, we are reimbursed for ALL bank FEES and from then on for that particular team ONLY cash will be accepted.
We often talk about what should be said at the plate conference. In our association number one on the list is MONEY. No money no baseball.
Also, if we show up and one team does not have enough players we get paid a FULL game FEE. If we show up (before first pitch is thrown) and the rains come then we get a travel FEE.
In my area there is plenty of baseball so no one is "crying" that they cannot get enough games. If they do not get many games it is on them meaning their availability. In fact we have a shortage and personally I am averaging 6-8 games just on the weekends.
I do not know about your area, but youth leagues have "sky-rocketed" in my area. Legion now has 3 divisions. 19 and under , 17 and under and this year they started a 15 and under Program.
My summer assignor attends most of the meetings for the clients we service and our payment structure is SPELLED OUT UP FRONT so that there is no confusion / problems as in your OP.
We have a very good assignor who treats us fairly but most important when you schedule you need the right temporment otherwise teams will walk all over you.
The bottom line as you say is that there is no formal payment schedule.
BTW Tee are the umpires that work for this particualr association "dropping like flys" and will your association slowly but surely start picking up these contracts.
Pete Booth