Louisiana Officials Possible Strike?

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

I'm not a lawyer but I think a lot would depend on the nature of the contract signed. Unless one of those associations is completely clueless, they should have some rider in their contract re:availability of people willing to work at any specific time.

That depends on how good their lawyers are.

Nope, this isn't a strike of any kind. It's an uprising.

And long overdue at that

Seriously, neither the LHSAA or the various officials associations can force their members to work. That why somewhere along the line the LHSAA needs to sit down and straighten things out. Unless I'm reading all of those newspaper links wrong, the officials thought they had come to some kind of an agreement back in 2007.

That's true, but the courts can enforce contracts. What they may end up entailing I can't say for sure but it's not likely to be pleasant for the associations, especially if they are instructing officials not to work.

I agree that LHSAA needs to step up to their 2007 agreement and get with the program.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

I agree that LHSAA needs to step up to their 2007 agreement and get with the program.

Both parties need to come to some kind of an agreement that is acceptable to each other. And the officials don't need to kill themselves internally while an agreement is being reached either. Association vs. association in-fighting can't possibly do any good for any of the LA officials imo.

Do the math. Say a team plays 30 games a year...15 at home, 15 away. The raise was $3/official over 2 years based on a 3-man crew. That's $9/game X 15 games = $145 a year. I just can't believe that any high school is that hard pressed that it would have to drop a major varsity sport over $145/year.

[Judtech]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Both parties need to come to some kind of an agreement that is acceptable to each other. And the officials don't need to kill themselves internally while an agreement is being reached either. Association vs. association in-fighting can't possibly do any good for any of the LA officials imo.

Do the math. Say a team plays 30 games a year...15 at home, 15 away. The raise was $3/official over 2 years based on a 3-man crew. That's $9/game X 15 games = $145 a year. I just can't believe that any high school is that hard pressed that it would have to drop a major varsity sport over $145/year.

100% agree. Although you would have to double that since there usually is a boys team as well.
Plus, have you seen the going rate of a Hot Dog or Nacho these days? Those boosters are out to get you!! Seriously!! What happened to $1 hot dogs $.50 popcorn and $1.50 nachos!!!

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by Judtech

100% agree. Although you would have to double that since there usually is a boys team as well.
Plus, have you seen the going rate of a Hot Dog or Nacho these days? Those boosters are out to get you!! Seriously!! What happened to $1 hot dogs $.50 popcorn and $1.50 nachos!!!

Would also be interested in knowing how the teacher's union fared with their salary increase negotiations over the past years????

edit: Louisiana teacher salaries have risen 45.4% over the past ten years. Now I know why you're on the bottom of the totem pole boys

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

That's true, but the courts can enforce contracts. What they may end up entailing I can't say for sure but it's not likely to be pleasant for the associations, especially if they are instructing officials not to work.

I doubt it would go that way. Associations, for the most part, are small non-profits will a very small bank account. The second they get sued (lacking any insurance that will step in), they dissolve. They just don't have the resources to involve lawyers. The schools will know that. And guess what, new associations will form with mostly the same people, and the schools will be in the same boat, except they will have spent the initial money on lawyers.

[Rich]

I have contracts for all my games for this season, next season, and for a fair number of games in 2012-13. They specify how much we will be paid for those games and I have the choice whether to sign them or not sign them.

I worry what would happen here if schools and conferences would try to cut pay for officials. I think many officials would buy the party line of "the schools have no money" and would work for considerably less money. With no real organized associations (we have associations, but membership is voluntary and is only for training and networking purposes) the games would go on.

I was an assignor for an adult baseball league with 44 teams and a lot of attitude. The umpires were underpaid and took way too much abuse. When I tried to bridge the gap between the league and the assignors and get a fair raise for the umpires, I had *umpires* tell me to back off. Mainly cause they were the ones that had been around forever and were buddies with the teams and their management.

Me? I could work for $31, I guess, but I won't. I have told the occasional AD that I'd be willing to cut my pay from $60 to $45 to $50 for 2-3 years if there was a real effort to transition to 3-person officiating across the board. That would cut some of the effect on the schools while they try to figure out how to raise the additional funds down the road. Some have thought this was a good idea, but they're in the minority -- they're happy having to only pay 2 officials.