Major League Baseball has long worked to avoid paying Minor League players fair wages, but their ability to do that could soon be coming to an end.
Because Minor Leaguers are not protected within the Players Association (MLBPA) and there is no MiLB union, MLB has had plenty of flexibility in setting their pay and benefits, which clubs have exploited.
A lawsuit was filed last year against MLB and commissioner Rob Manfred over the league’s antitrust exemption stemming from their taking control of Minor League teams and it resulting in contraction.
Now in another lawsuit, a federal judge ruled that Minor League players are MLB employees throughout the year and said the league is liable for nearly $2 million in damages, according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times:
In a 181-page ruling, Judge Joseph Spero ruled that minor leaguers should be classified as employees “throughout the calendar year” under federal labor law, that MLB as well as individual teams jointly employ minor leaguers, that travel time can be counted as work hours, and that work was done during spring training, when players are not compensated.
As the calls for better treatment of Minor Leaguers continue, MLB announced a plan last November to provide more than 90% of players with furnished housing accommodations at each club’s expense for the 2022 season.
After reviewing the details of the policy, Advocates for Minor Leaguers has determined that it falls short of expectations. In a statement, the advocacy group criticized MLB for not consulting with the players on the specifics of the plan.
Advocates for Minor Leaguers believes the policy “presents MLB teams the opportunity to cut costs rather than providing proper housing in any of three ways.”
Minor league players did receive a pay raise during the 2021 season, however, their salaries still ranged from $10,500 for Single-A players to $14,700 for Triple-A players despite it essentially being a full-time job with overtime.
For comparison, the minimum salary for the NBA G League is $35,000, while the NHL guarantees a minimum $52,000 for players in the AHL.
MiLB players also receive the smallest per diem while on the road, 50% less than what G-League players receive and more than 75% less than what AHL players receive.
MLB tried to cut Minor League jobs in CBA negotiations
During lockout negotiations, MLB reportedly asked the MLBPA for the ability to cut 900 Minor League players by reducing the number of players each organization is allowed to roster from 180 to 150 in one of their collective bargaining agreement (CBA) proposals.
This was a non-starter for the MLBPA and they said they would continue to reject any CBA that included cuts to Minor League teams.
In 2020, MLB dropped 40 Minor League teams as affiliates, which reduced the number of farm teams from 160 to 120 during the 2021 season.
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