Louisiana Officials Possible Strike?

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Can you spell Vaseline? As that is what you need as that is what the Principals should be using on you as they take complete advantage of your time and your services.

Peace

another non-answer

I detect a pattern.

again

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by just another ref

another non-answer

I detect a pattern.

again

I do not need to deflect anything, I do not have to work for less than $30 a game like you do unless it is summer ball. What the heck do you mean what I would do? I would not be working games to undercut my fellow officials I can afford the nights off.

Peace

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do not need to deflect anything, I do not have to work for less than $30 a game like you do unless it is summer ball. What the heck do you mean what I would do? I would not be working games to undercut my fellow officials I can afford the nights off.

Peace

Varsity rate is actually $36 two man.

You said you would not work at this rate.

I said if you lived here you would or you would quit.

You said you would not quit.

You wouldn't work at this rate and you wouldn't quit.

What would you do then?

What part of this do you not understand?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Varsity rate is actually $36 two man.

I make double that for most games. If that does not tell you something, I do not know what would.

I worked a shootout this weekend and worked two games. The pay in that particular shootout was less than most from a per game fee standpoint and you would have to work 3 games just to make what I did on Saturday.

Originally Posted by just another ref

You said you would not work at this rate.

Nope.

Originally Posted by just another ref

I said if you lived here you would or you would quit.

You said you would not quit.

You wouldn't work at this rate and you wouldn't quit.

I do not just work HS ball and HS ball is not the only level someone can work in this country.

Originally Posted by just another ref

What would you do then?

What part of this do you not understand?

It seems you are having the problem understanding. Everything I just stated (above) was not the first time I said those things in this thread.

Peace

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

If that does not tell you something, I do not know what would.

It tells me that you shoot your mouth off about things, paint yourself into a corner, and then either ignore direct questions until the other person grows weary, or disappear from the thread. I've grown weary. You win.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by just another ref

It tells me that you shoot your mouth off about things, paint yourself into a corner, and then either ignore direct questions until the other person grows weary, or disappear from the thread. I've grown weary. You win.

How did I paint myself into a corner?

For one nothing we are talking about is going to change my officiating life. I have answered your little silly hypothetical and told you how I feel.

You damn right I win, you would have to work two games to make close to what I make for a single game. How do you like them apples?

Peace

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Gee, Rut, everybody knows you don't live here. And everybody knows you work more than HS ball. But everybody except you, apparently, knows that those were the two things we were talking about. Everybody also knows that you have a habit of ducking things when you have no suitable answer.

I'll spell it out.

If you did live here, when it comes to high school ball, you would accept the current terms or quit.

OR?

Or you can do something about it like the guys who refused games and put their azzes on the line so that you could get a pay raise next year. Instead of backing them, you back-stabbed them.

Sorry, JAR, but there it is.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I would not do what you are doing. I would not take games to help the schools out when another association is making a stand for all of us. I would not talk to a principal and undermine the position of getting higher pay. I would not take games at that rate and act like I do not have a choice (which you always have a choice). And most of all I would not work in that system and sit back and do nothing.

Well said. Doing nothing gets you nothing.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Or you can do something about it like the guys who refused games and put their azzes on the line so that you could get a pay raise next year. Instead of backing them, you back-stabbed them.

Sorry, JAR, but there it is.

Like I said, I would've put my bags away for the year before I would've stepped in and worked other association's games.

I don't have that system here. I get offered games, I get a contract to sign, and I can choose whether to accept games or not accept games. One factor for me is the pay and whether those schools pay travel. For example, in baseball I only work 4 conferences because the games start at 4:45PM or 5PM. And I wouldn't drive more than 50 miles or so from Madison if the conference didn't pay for travel.

So all this is hypothetical for me, but I have worked in an association system before and I can't imagine such a scenario happening and not have the chance to vote on whether the association wants to join the others. You mean *nobody* in your group asked that question? Do you guys not meet?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by jurassic referee

or you can do something about it like the guys who refused games and put their azzes on the line so that you could get a pay raise next year. Instead of backing them, you back-stabbed them.

Sorry, jar, but there it is.

+1

[LouisianaDave]

The attitudes of JAR is the reason that Louisiana is so cheaply paid. I work for the Baton Rouge association and we held a special meeting and the members voted to be unavailable. All this talk of contracts is irrelevant. The way the association works, the principals enter into an agreement with an officials association to use their officials. Then the association must use the an assignor paid for and hired by the principals. On Feb 1, all except for 3 officials were unavailable to work and therefore games had to be postponed. As independent contractors we have the right to be available or unavailable.

As JAR state principals voted down the pay raise due to the threat of a strike. The principals figured there wasnt enough unity amongst officials to actually follow through on the walkout, but when the games got postponed the officials showed the principals there are more guys willing to stay home(me) than guys who were working (JAR). Even though 4 associations sat that is a misleading quote. There were 4 association who were done for the season. For one Tuesday night the officials of the following cities sat Shreveport, Monroe, Hammond, Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Thibidoux and a majority of New Orleans. Lafayette didnt vote and worked and Lake Charles worked.

So by uniting as one, we showed the principals we were a force to be reckoned with. Even though I dont make a lot of money officiating HS, there are some really good officials in this state and we have quite a few collegiate refs out there.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by LouisianaDave

Then the association must use the an assignor paid for and hired by the principals.

Interesting. Could it be that JAR's assignor's little conflict-of-interest kept his association from coming together and voting on this? Or do the officials operate separately from the assignor?

When I worked in NO (for one season only), we had an older gentleman who assigned by having everyone stand around him and throw up their hands for games for the next few weeks. Weird, weird system. Don't remember how much we got paid then -- I was just happy to get out and work a few games a week, then. Of course, I was a young kid then, and had little other demands on my free time.

[LouisianaDave]

When it comes to the assignors, its definitely a weird situation. Every association must have a president and a board. But the assignors have all the power, because our assignor tried to implore us before we voted to think about the kids, etc. So there is definitely a conflict of interest. We use the arbiter but there is no public ratings you just get an email saying you have games then you go on the arbiter and see what you get, sort of like christmas every wednesday morning, lol

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Gee, Rut, everybody knows you don't live here. And everybody knows you work more than HS ball. But everybody except you, apparently, knows that those were the two things we were talking about. Everybody also knows that you have a habit of ducking things when you have no suitable answer.

I'll spell it out.

If you did live here, when it comes to high school ball, you would accept the current terms or quit.

OR?

I would not work HS ball in Louisiana at those rates. I would work AAU, military intra-murals and inter-base games, and whatever college schedule I got.

And the assignors work for the principals? Yeah, no conflict of interest there.

I would not work at those rates just on principle alone.

[Judtech]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

And that just confirms what I think of you and your ethics. And the fact that your biggest booster is somebody like Judtech is pretty telling also.

JAR, I sureashell wouldn't dream of ever turning my back on either of you.

Would it remind you of your first nite in D block?

That is the best you can come up with? More personal attacks? WHAT is involved not WHO is involved should be the only arbiter of what is right. The fact that you continue to make it personal shows that you are having difficulty defending your stance with facts.
Again, I will posit this question: Why is it acceptable to vilify someone who is keeping their word? When did honoring ones agreements, regardless action of others, become a bad character trait?

No one is saying that the LA officials are underpaid and need raise. The argument becomes HOW to accomplish this. Should the officials work the remaining agreeed upon contract or should they walk away before the contract expires. Since there are not many answers out there to JAR's "What would YOU do questions" let me throw my .02 in the mix.
1. I would work the rest of the year under the current contract.
2. I'm not so sure I would cover another associations games who chose to walk. That is the responsibilities of the parties involved. HOWEVER, I would not casitgate anyone who did.
3. I would not work HS next year unless:
a. We got a SIGNIFICANT raise
b. Association assignors were hired internally by the Association. There is a complete conflict of interest in the current set up
4. I would like to see 3 person crews but it wouldn't be a deal breaker.

It would become a sticky wicket if my association agreed to work under a new contract but over half decided not to. I would be inclined NOT to work until a majority of officials/association agreed. In short, my POV is that the time to exert pressure is when I have completed my part of a contract and the other party is looking for a new deal. I am not sure how this is back stabbing and evil to anyone but godless pinko commies!! (I kid I kid)