On Thursday, Major League Baseball (MLB) formally requested the immediate assistance of a federal mediator to help resolve differences with the players union and reach an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. MLB officials believe that negotiations with the players union are approaching a stalemate.Â
The Major League Baseball Players Association, which was notified of the request by MLB officials on Thursday afternoon, refused to comment publicly or say whether they would accept it, Front Office Sports reports. It is impossible to enforce a settlement reached through federal mediation.
MLB believes the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service would be beneficial in reaching a compromise in the hopes of speeding up negotiations or, at the very least, getting input from a neutral party.
According to one MLB executive familiar with the talks, the league views mediation as the most productive path forward and believes bringing in a third party would benefit everyone. Â
The players union and MLB officials have only met four times since December 1, the most recent being on Tuesday.
Due to the slow pace of negotiations, the start of spring training on February 16 is doubtful, the Associated Press reports, putting the regular season’s start date of March 31 in jeopardy.
The two sides used a federal mediator during the 1994-95 strike when the owners were ready to declare an impasse, but the 1994 World Series was canceled as a result.
The MLB Players Association released the following statement on Friday:
“Two months after implementing their lockout, and just two days after committing to Players that a counterproposal would be made, the owners refused to make a counter and instead requested mediation. After consultation with our Executive Board and taking into account a variety of factors, we have declined this request.
The clearest path to a fair and timely agreement is to get back to the table. Players stand ready to negotiate.”
The 2022 season will be postponed or cut short of the regular 162-game schedule if the two sides do not agree on a new collective bargaining agreement by the first week of March. MLB has stated that it has no plans to extend the season beyond mid-November or play many doubleheaders.
I hate free agency, lockouts, and money grabbing players and owners. I’ve stopped watching NFL, and almost permanently did same last time MLB did this. Can’t even agree on a mediator? Really? Why, a third party might make both parties concede? Pitchers are baseball players. The post season gates cost enough so if they have respect of community should be sellouts.
I won’t be going to any games this year, may tune out.
At least NASCAR seems to have it figured out.