Florida Football Officials Threatening Stoppage
 

You know, I'm amazed that this system of state associations dictating regular season pay for "independent contractors" is allowed to continue.

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports...ute-with-state

https://www.naplesnews.com/story/spo...es/1930222001/

It's amazing that enough officials were willing to join together and, if necessary, withhold their labor. I, for one, wish them well.

This strike will only work because it's the entire state against all of the refs. If this happened in my area, for basketball anyway, one association would undercut the other. The other sports seemed to have realized that by banding together, they can raise the prices. But hey, I'm just the young buck who is good with numbers. What do I know?

What really gets to me is how often they use "The student-athletes are the real victims here." Be a damn man, stop using the kids as a shield, and have the balls to at least say "We don't want to pay the refs more." You're still wrong, but at least you aren't hiding behind a bunch of teenagers. But only two pay raises in 15 years? Damn.

Yeah, scab officials and associations make it difficult to make any real changes more often than not.

The "for the kids" crowd is rarely genuine. If they're really about the kids they should work for free.

Update...FHSAA's strategy
 

I hope they hold out, but officials will eat their own.

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/s...rk/1899471001/

Not all associations are striking. It seems that these two groups have roughly 130 refs between them and serve 71 schools. They might think that they can "find refs" but I'll give it two weeks till they have a repeat of the 2012 NFL season. I still remember my college common room during that Seattle game where one ref signaled touchdown and the other signaled an interception.

87% of the schools are covered. They got to reach out to the other groups and get a united front.

Any update on this?

https://www.news-press.com/story/spo...ls/1987151001/

Now we get to see how many scabs from other associations will cross the picket line. I have a feeling there will be enough officials for the affected schools to play. Sad.

Certainly, the officials deserve pay commensurate with their area, but if this latest article is correct, their leadership screwed up.

“The SGFOA signed a contract to cover Lee Schools' football games in May. FHSAA spokesman Kyle Niblett said the organization revoked the officials' sanction for breaking its contract. The SGFOA already had billed some schools and taken payments from others, Niblett said.”

Why would one sign a contract and then complain about the pay? The time to negotiate a better game fee was back in May BEFORE signing the contract.

I usually support the heck out of officials in such disputes, but in this case I can’t. These officials should honor the contract that they just signed a few months ago and then bargain for next year. Sorry, but their leaders blew it.

Any association that goes in to work these games should just light their stripes on fire. If the state is willing to do that to one group, why not another? Why not all of them? The most I've ever driven for a HS game is 1.5 hours. Double-header, and I get free food. 2 hours for $77? Be there 1 hour before the game?

You'd have to leave work by 4PM (likely 3:30 for traffic), to get there by 6PM. Game ends around 9:30PM-10PM. Shower? Get home around 12AM-1AM?

I'm not working 9-10 hours for $77. That's just over minimum wage. Even less if you subtract dinner and gas.

The schools may pay the fee, but FLHSSA sets the pay. So when they did the contract with the school, it didn't really matter what the school would agree to pay; the rate is the rate. I don't disagree with your logic, but I'm guessing they did this on purpose to force this fight.

Florida has been dragging their feet for upping the pay according to numerous articles, promising and then kicking the can. The officials got tired of it, and then pull this. Now they have to see who blinks first.

Our membership has no say in the fees negotiated between the schools and the association leadership. So in Lee County, if the members don't feel they should work for that predetermined fee, they are not doing any wrong by refusing to work. Or they should have just closed out all the applicable dates to that association until the matter was settled to their satisfaction.

Or elect new leadership.

Leadership is elected at the end of the season, contracts are negotiated at the end of the school year.

We officials have no signed contracts with the schools, so we have no obligations to the schools to work until we accept a game Officials sign agreements with the association,. and as independent contractors we do not have to make ourselves available to that association unless we want to be available.

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