Louisiana Officials Possible Strike?

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I'm confused. You were going to cross?

Originally Posted by RichMSN

You planning on scabbing, huh? Make sure nobody is able to hang you up by your belt, then.

Normally, I'm not very supported of strikes and have no problem with people working anyway. However, in this case, being 50th out of 50, it doesn't make ANY sense. Every official in the entire state should strike until they get at least decent pay. They're severely underpaid and they'll all come out better in the end.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Normally, I'm not very supported of strikes and have no problem people working anyway. However, in this case, being 50th out of 50, it doesn't make ANY sense. Every official in the entire state should strike until they get at least decent pay. They're severely underpaid and they'll all come out better in the end.

Although I grew up the son and grandson of union factory workers (and the namesake of both of them), I'm the same way. I understand it's a hard time to ask for a raise, but it's a raise that was apparently already agreed upon before it was arbitrarily rescinded. I'm normally sympathetic towards those who cross the line because they need to feed family, but this is a part time job. I find myself firmly on the side of the strike here.

I'm still waiting for his answer, though.

[fullor30]

Curious what table people get? Usually working at school, no drive and certainly don't need to be there an hour before varsity contest.

[SCalScoreKeeper]

I don't work at my school on campus but I do work all the games in a night home and away (JVG,JVB,VG,VB).My day starts at about 2PM getting ready for a JVG game that starts at 3.Our other tip times are 4:30 (JVB),6:00 (VG),7:30 (VB).I do stats for the two JV games and scorebook for the two varsity teams.After the last game I have about a thirty minute drive home,eat dinner,then put the varsity girls stats on maxpreps and report the score to the papers.Usually I'm in bed by about 11:30 or midnight.

In terms of on campus staff serving as table crew all but two use faculty in each seat (shot clock and game clock operator).The two that don't use students who do a very passable job.

Scorekeepers in our Boys League:Only two are on-campus staff (one a drama teacher,the other an on campus aide).The other five adults who are scorekeepers (including myself) are walk ons.One school has a student doing their official book.

Scorekeepers in our Girls League:Only two are on-campus staff (one a drama teacher,the other a guidance counselor).The other five adults who are scorekeepers (including myself) are walk ons.One school has a student doing their book.

If you're curious as to what I get paid leave me a PM and I'll be more than happy to tell you.

[just another ref]

My association is not a part of the work stoppage. I go where I am assigned. End of that story.

As to the work stoppage itself. The fees are what they are. The argument has been made that they are too low. Obviously that is a point of contention.
BUT, the wages were agreed to and the contracts were signed for this year. The pay raise in question would be for next year. When it was denied, you stop now? I don't do business that way.

[Adam]

All I needed to know, thanks.

[Judtech]

I like JAR's stance on the issue.
However, I think the insistence on a rookie salary cap and free agency are a little over the top!!

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by just another ref

My association is not a part of the work stoppage. I go where I am assigned. End of that story.

As to the work stoppage itself. The fees are what they are. The argument has been made that they are too low. Obviously that is a point of contention.
BUT, the wages were agreed to and the contracts were signed for this year. The pay raise in question would be for next year. When it was denied, you stop now? I don't do business that way.

And as I read it, the officials were promised bi-yearly pay raises back in 2007 and none of those were ever implemented. Apparently the principals aren't too fond of following through on their promises also.

Jar, if you think $36/game is a fair high school rate, hey, work your tail off. And if your association wants to say t'hell with all the other associations that are trying to make things better for all officials in the state, then hey, all of them can work their damn tails off too working the games that the other officials are refusing to work. Me? I don't do business that way.

There's a reason that officials are only getting $36/game in your state. And imo your association is part of that reason. I can understand you having to do what your association tells you to do. I can't understand your association's stance though.

[Eastshire]

I think JAR is right. If you signed the contract, you need to work the game. If you aren't being paid enough (and they're not being paid enough), don't sign the contract for next year.

They aren't a union (unless I'm really missing something and officials are in fact school employees and have a certified union in LA). They're not on strike; they're just breaking contracts. The schools will have no trouble nailing them to the wall on breach of contracts suits. The only worse thing than getting paid $36 to call a varsity game would be paying a breach of contract fine for not calling a varsity game.

Honor your word, then stop dealing with people who don't pay you what you're worth.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

I think JAR is right. If you signed the contract, you need to work the game. If you aren't being paid enough (and they're not being paid enough), don't sign the contract for next year.

They aren't a union (unless I'm really missing something and officials are in fact school employees and have a certified union in LA). They're not on strike; they're just breaking contracts. The schools will have no trouble nailing them to the wall on breach of contracts suits. The only worse thing than getting paid $36 to call a varsity game would be paying a breach of contract fine for not calling a varsity game.

Honor your word, then stop dealing with people who don't pay you what you're worth.

What contract does any official have with their association? Or with anybody? They can decline any game they want to.

Ridiculous logic imo. And it would never fly in any court of law.

[ref2coach]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

And as I read it, the officials were promised bi-yearly pay raises back in 2007 and none of those were ever implemented. Apparently the principals aren't too fond of following through on their promises also.

Jar, if you think $36/game is a fair high school rate, hey, work your tail off. And if your association wants to say t'hell with all the other associations that are trying to make things better for all officials in the state, then hey, all of them can work their damn tails off too working the games that the other officials are refusing to work. Me? I don't do business that way.

There's a reason that officials are only getting $36/game in your state. And imo your association is part of that reason. I can understand you having to do what your association tells you to do. I can't understand your association's stance though.

+1

Kind of hard to be expected to honor a contract with a entity that has proven to you that they do not intend to honor their part of the contract. Me? I do not do business that way, past the one time it takes me to see the other party has no honor.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

I think JAR is right. If you signed the contract, you need to work the game. If you aren't being paid enough (and they're not being paid enough), don't sign the contract for next year.

They aren't a union (unless I'm really missing something and officials are in fact school employees and have a certified union in LA). They're not on strike; they're just breaking contracts. The schools will have no trouble nailing them to the wall on breach of contracts suits. The only worse thing than getting paid $36 to call a varsity game would be paying a breach of contract fine for not calling a varsity game.

Honor your word, then stop dealing with people who don't pay you what you're worth.

I don't GAF if the union is "certified." Negotiating takes strength and that comes in numbers.

As for breach of contract, are you high? We're private contractors and thus we aren't obligated to accept any assignment, especially one that's paying such crap wages.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

What contract does any official have with their association? Or with anybody? They can decline any game they want to.

Ridiculous logic imo. And it would never fly in any court of law.

Your area must be different than mine. In my area, I sign a contract with the home school for every game I accept when they are assigned at the beginning of the season. You'd better believe they'd hold up in a court of law.

If the LA officials don't sign contracts individually, I would be very surprised if the associations don't. Nothing at this level gets done without a contract.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I don't GAF if the union is "certified." Negotiating takes strength and that comes in numbers.

As for breach of contract, are you high? We're private contractors and thus we aren't obligated to accept any assignment, especially one that's paying such crap wages.

Right, we aren't required to sign the contract for the game. But once you have signed the contract for the game you are bound by the terms of that contract. If they didn't like the pay (and who would), they shouldn't have signed the contract.

I agree that they should all in mass refuse new contracts, but they are bound by the individual contracts they have already signed (assuming it works there like it does here). There will be hell to pay for breaking the contracts they had already accepted.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by ref2coach

+1

Kind of hard to be expected to honor a contract with a entity that has proven to you that they do not intend to honor their part of the contract. Me? I do not do business that way, past the one time it takes me to see the other party has no honor.

The expectation was bi-yearly pay raises of $3/official every 2 years starting in 2007. Nothing has been done to date. It was already explained in the one story linked that there are no contracts with any individual officials in La and no officials are employed by the LHSAA. The contracts are with different associations. And if an association can't find enough sub-contractors to meet committments, oh well.