MLB has "instructed clubs that they do not have a legal
obligation to negotiate managerial contracts" with MLBPA
certified agents who also represent players, according to
Ross Newhan of the L.A. TIMES. MLB Exec VP/Labor Relations
Rob Manfred said that national labor laws state that an
agent cannot represent "statutory supervisors" when they
also represent "members of a union's rank and file for
salary purposes." Manfred also said that managers
"certainly" qualify as statutory supervisors to players.
Agents feel the directive is "an attempt to impede the
sudden and ... overdue salary growth and bargaining power"
of managers. Agent Tony Attanasio: "They don't like the
fact that managers are finally getting longer contracts and
more money. They are attempting to put a stumbling block
between managers" and their reps. Manfred said that MLB is
concerned that an agent "could feel he has the right to
call" his/her manager client and discuss what a certain
player needs to do in order to achieve contract bonuses, and
that "the manager may feel obligated to make that happen."
Manfred: "We haven't issued a blanket instruction saying
they should or shouldn't [negotiate with an agent] we have
talked to some of the clubs and said there are serious
issues they should consider and that they have no obligation
to negotiate with a representative and every legal right to
deal directly with their employee" (L.A. TIMES, 10/21).
