UMPS READY TO WORK IN TORONTO?

     A crew of locked-out MLB umpires plan to be in Toronto on
Opening Day, either to work or to picket.  MLBUA General Counsel
Richie Phillips said he believes if the Ontario Labor Board rules
that replacement umpires are barred by Ontario provincial law
from working Blue Jays games, the leagues will be forced to end
their lockout.  In that event, the Toronto umpires will be on
hand to work the Blue Jays' night game against the A's.  The
Ontario Labor Board has scheduled a hearing at 9:30am EDT on
Wednesday to look at the MLBUA's contention.  The leagues are
expected to argue that the Ontario law does not apply to them
because they are not Canadian employers (Murray Chass, N.Y.
TIMES, 4/24).