Major League Baseball and the Players Association (MLBPA) have held multiple meetings recently to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), however, time is running out to get a deal done before Spring Training is scheduled to begin.
After the lockout began in December, the two sides went more than 40 days before holding a meeting to discuss core economics and prior to that, only a small group had gathered during the middle of December to review other issues.
Last month, the union presented a counteroffer while the league countered their proposal the next day but the idea progress had been made was tempered. During the latest round of negotiations, there was minimal progress made as tensions rose in a “heated” meeting as the sides remain far apart from a deal.
MLB and the union nevertheless are scheduled to continue economic negotiations in the days ahead, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network:
MLB leaders and the union are expected to restart talks on core economic at the end of the week or early next week but other important yet less contentious issues are on the agenda today and tomorrow. Those include the drug policies, international play and many more items.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 2, 2022
Although the sides will resume economic discussions, there is a good chance they will still be far apart after the next round of negotiations.
Recently, MLB appeared to have threatened the MLBPA by saying they would be open to cancelling games during the 2022 season if the union was unwilling to drop more of their demands.
To avoid missing games, there’s a belief the sides would need to have an agreement in place by early March, which would give them some time to finish free agency and begin Spring Training. If MLB is serious, negotiations could now be expected to run into late March or longer.
MLBPA feels disrespected by MLB owners
The union reportedly feels as though team owners are not taking them seriously, and that seemingly has only added to the existing animosity that has been at a fever pitch since MLB commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally imposed a shortened 2020 season.
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