GaryMrMets
06-12-2002, 12:27 AM
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news.jsp?ymd=20020611&content_id=50561&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp
06/11/2002 10:03 pm ET
MLB makes new proposal to players
By Barry Bloom / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball owners made a new economic proposal to the players association at Tuesday's collective bargaining session, a proposal that the owners hope invigorate the negotiations.
Rob Manfred, MLB's vice president of labor relations declined to define the new terms. "All I can say is that we've made the proposal and have moved closer to the players," Manfred said.
The union confirmed that it had received the proposal, but spokesman Greg Bouris elected not to comment on its substance. The two sides are scheduled to meet again twice next week, on June 19 and 20.
The proposal marks the first signs of renewed attention on the core economic issues in a bargaining session. The old contract ended this past November and the players have been playing under its auspices this season.
The two sides also dealt Wednesday with a package of non-economic issues presented last week by the owners, but the union tabled them until the next meeting, Manfred said. The two sides tentatively agreed to a group of eight issues last week, including bus travel and length of schedule.
The owners maintain that MLB lost $519 million last season and will lose more than that this season and want to revamp the sport's economic system.
Since the 1994 strike baseball has lost $1.4 billion, the owners have said.
In their opening proposal, the owners sought an increase in sharing of local revenue from 20 percent to 50 percent and a luxury tax on the portion of team player salaries above $98 million.
The players rejected the luxury tax, which was in force during the 1997, 1998 and 1999 seasons. They also sought a marginal increase in revenue sharing of about 2-1/2 to 5 percent. That was unacceptable to the owners.
MLB has said that the current level of revenue sharing and the old luxury tax didn't place enough drag on player salaries. The old luxury tax was never higher than 35 percent on the portion of player payrolls above an established threshold. In 1999, that threshold reached its zenith at $58.9 million.
Thus far, there has been little movement in negotiations, prompting the players last month to float the idea of setting a strike date.
The owners have pledged not to lockout the players this season. They also said they would not post new work conditions by declaring an impasse in negotiations.
Many player representatives, though, anticipate that owners may declare an impasse after the World Series if a new contract is not in place.
Barry M. Bloom is a regular contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or any of its teams.
06/11/2002 10:03 pm ET
MLB makes new proposal to players
By Barry Bloom / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball owners made a new economic proposal to the players association at Tuesday's collective bargaining session, a proposal that the owners hope invigorate the negotiations.
Rob Manfred, MLB's vice president of labor relations declined to define the new terms. "All I can say is that we've made the proposal and have moved closer to the players," Manfred said.
The union confirmed that it had received the proposal, but spokesman Greg Bouris elected not to comment on its substance. The two sides are scheduled to meet again twice next week, on June 19 and 20.
The proposal marks the first signs of renewed attention on the core economic issues in a bargaining session. The old contract ended this past November and the players have been playing under its auspices this season.
The two sides also dealt Wednesday with a package of non-economic issues presented last week by the owners, but the union tabled them until the next meeting, Manfred said. The two sides tentatively agreed to a group of eight issues last week, including bus travel and length of schedule.
The owners maintain that MLB lost $519 million last season and will lose more than that this season and want to revamp the sport's economic system.
Since the 1994 strike baseball has lost $1.4 billion, the owners have said.
In their opening proposal, the owners sought an increase in sharing of local revenue from 20 percent to 50 percent and a luxury tax on the portion of team player salaries above $98 million.
The players rejected the luxury tax, which was in force during the 1997, 1998 and 1999 seasons. They also sought a marginal increase in revenue sharing of about 2-1/2 to 5 percent. That was unacceptable to the owners.
MLB has said that the current level of revenue sharing and the old luxury tax didn't place enough drag on player salaries. The old luxury tax was never higher than 35 percent on the portion of player payrolls above an established threshold. In 1999, that threshold reached its zenith at $58.9 million.
Thus far, there has been little movement in negotiations, prompting the players last month to float the idea of setting a strike date.
The owners have pledged not to lockout the players this season. They also said they would not post new work conditions by declaring an impasse in negotiations.
Many player representatives, though, anticipate that owners may declare an impasse after the World Series if a new contract is not in place.
Barry M. Bloom is a regular contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or any of its teams.