The AMLU's Birmingham Folly

[DIV2ump]

Originally Posted by BlueLawyer

My point, such as it was, was in response to WWTB or DIV2 or the numerous other people on this board who think that AMLU is wrong, at least tactically to strike because of the hundreds if not thousands of other, just as qualified umpires out there just itching to take their places.

Huh?

They can strike away. I don't know if its a good decision or not. The proof is in the pudding and we can't tell until this is over. My problem is with the late night phone harassing phone calls they make to the replacements ("scab" in mindless union supporter parlance) and their families, the unprofessional heckling of the replacements at games and the brilliant "scab photo gallery."

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by DIV2ump

Huh?

They can strike away. I don't know if its a good decision or not. The proof is in the pudding and we can't tell until this is over.

It's true in some sense that the proof is in the pudding. However, it is possible to criticize the decision to strike, on the grounds that the AMLU has insufficient leverage over MiLB to make a strike work. They knew this (or should have known it) ahead of the decision to strike. This is the reason that many around baseball have criticized the leadership of the AMLU: they were either rash or ignorant (or both), neither of these being valuable qualities in leadership.

An outcome favorable to the AMLU is still possible, but unlikely, just as it was before the strike. We can all hope for the best, but the decision to strike was still a poor one, even with a favorable outcome.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by DIV2ump

Huh?

They can strike away. I don't know if its a good decision or not. The proof is in the pudding and we can't tell until this is over.

I disagree. There are those of us who defend the MiLB umpires and support their demands who also believe they were not represented wll by their leaders in the AMLU. Much of what has developed was predictable and predicted.

The AMLU is not like the miners union, whose own members,for the most part are not fans of their jobs. There are not lines of replacements waiting to work the mines during their strikes, thus the union wins the "numbers" game with management. The AMLU is comprised of members, who, for the most part, love their jobs and there is a pool of replacements larger than the number of openings. Thus the AMLU loses the numbers game.

Again, using the miners as our example, most, as a result of their location and socio-economic status, truly believe they have no option but to work the mines. This status has been accepted by the media and translates into widespread sympathetic coverage and requires more diplomatic handling by management. MiLB umpires, perhaps more than any other trade in the country, ply their trade by choice, many having given up other, more profitable opportunities. While we umpires admire this, it is not seen as a position of strength by the media, management or fans. Simply put, most AMLU members and their families would be better off if they did not umpire baseball. Again, this is not a position of strength.

As they indicated they would, management has done a good job of positioning the umpires as, at best, part-time employees and even "apprentices". Even the mediator was swayed in part by this argument.

Instead of approaching amateur umpires with a campaign of what the "right thing to do" is and why, the AMLU adopted heavy handed, teamster-like tactics of intimidation, harassment, ridicule and in at least one case, outright lying.

When the strike ends, no matter how both sides claim victory, and they both will, one truth will be that the MiLB umpires will never, in their MiLB career, recoup the money they have lost during the strike.

If, as some AMLU leaders contend, the strike was more for future umpires than the present umpires, incremental changes beginning at the A level could have been negotiated that would have spread to the upper levels as those umpires progressed through the system.

MiLB umpires deserve more money. MiLB umpires deserve better benefits. MiLB umpires deserve more respect and protection. Most importantly, however, MiLB umpires deserve better union leadership.

[NIump50]

Originally Posted by GarthB

MiLB umpires deserve more money. MiLB umpires deserve better benefits. MiLB umpires deserve more respect and protection. Most importantly, however, MiLB umpires deserve better union leadership.

My lawn care guys deserve more money too, so does my grocer, my pizza delivery guy, my mechanic, etc etc My propane guy, now he doesn't deserve anymore and guess what, he's the hardest on the list to replace.
Did I mention me, I deserve more
They may all deserve more but guess what, they're all easily replaced. And chances are they won't be getting more any time soon. Pretty simple economics.
Really when you think about it, of all the work force working at the level they're at, the MiLB may be the least deserving. They're working at those wages by choice and virtually all of them have better opportunities outside of umpiring. The rest of the work force surviving at those wage levels are there out of necessity and have much less opportunity for improvement.