MLB officials "held a long meeting" yesterday to
"discuss contingency plans in the event" the umpires strike
September 2, according to Murray Chass of the N.Y. TIMES,
who writes, "Umpires who will still have jobs beyond that
day would be risking their jobs because the labor agreement
between the umpires and the leagues bars them from
striking." One official, on MLB's contingency plans: "We
have replacements all lined up." Chass notes that if the
umpires strike, the NL "would bear the brunt of the work
stoppage" because 13 of the 22 umpires "scheduled to lose
their jobs" are in the NL. MLBUA General Counsel Richie
Phillips, on "trying to resolve" the issue: "I'm into peace
initiatives. I'm not into saber rattling." One "supporter"
of Phillips said of AL umpires, "I think [a] lot of A.L.
guys will cross picket lines" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/25). FSN's
Keith Olbermann, on the MLB umpire situation: "Some of the
umps might strike because the owners accepted some of their
resignations, and among the strikers might be some of the
replacements for some of the umps whose resignations were
accepted. Batteries not included" ("Primetime," FSN, 8/24).
