Minor League Baseball Players May Be the Next Group of Workers to Unionize
When you think of poorly paid workers, minor league baseball players probably aren’t the first group that comes to mind. But minor leaguers suffer paltry compensation — and a drive to unionize them is now officially underway.
The push to unionize Minor League Baseball is officially underway. (Erick W. Rasco / Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
The push to unionize Minor League Baseball is officially underway. Last week, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) announced it had sent out authorization cards to minor league players.
If at least 30 percent sign the cards, a union election will be held. And if 50 percent in that vote opt for a union, five thousand minor league players will join the ranks of organized labor — a historic development in US professional sports.
The news of the union drive came just weeks after Major League Baseball (MLB) agreed to pay $185 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by minor leaguers in 2014. The players were seeking lost wages and overtime for the many hours they’d spent in spring training, extended spring training, and instructional league.
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