The Major League Baseball Players Association on Friday rejected the league’s request to involve federal mediation in bargaining, an expected decision the players delivered one day after MLB formally proposed the process.
“Two months after implementing their lockout, and just two days after committing to Players that a counterproposal would be made, the owners refused to make a counter, and instead requested mediation,” MLBPA said in a statement. “After consultation with our Executive Board, and taking into account a variety of factors, we have declined this request.
“The clearest path to a fair and timely agreement is to get back to the table. Players stand ready to negotiate.”
From here, the parties still have a legal duty to bargain. Including Friday, the sides have met for three straight days to discuss topics outside of core economics, including some important areas such as the amateur draft. But no meeting is scheduled on the big-dollar issues as of now, and with the typical mid-February report dates for pitchers and catchers now less than two weeks away, spring training seems certain to be delayed.
An MLB spokesperson released a statement later on Friday, saying: “Our goal is to have players on the field and fans in the ballparks for Spring Training and Opening Day. With camps scheduled to open in less than two weeks, it is time to get immediate assistance from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to help us work through our differences and break the deadlock.
