MLB and the Players Association failing to come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) last month resulted in team owners immediately imposing a lockout. It marked the ninth work stoppage in MLB history and ended 27 consecutive years of labor peace.
Taking action to begin the league’s fourth ever lockout wasn’t required, though MLB commissioner Rob Manfred reasoned it was a necessary step and one that would ultimately spur negotiations for a new CBA.
However, that’s yet to be the case as MLB and the MLBPA have only met twice, and not to discuss key economic issues.
Despite the calendar now having turned to a new year, the league and union still do not have CBA meetings scheduled, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
The first week of 2022 is resembling the last month of 2021: There are no negotiating sessions currently scheduled between MLB and the players association. They have met twice in the last month since the lockout, but strictly on non-core economic issues.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 3, 2022
MLBPA executive director Tony Clark previously outlined players are focused on making the game more competitive and allowing for improved compensation earlier in careers. MLB deemed proposals before the lockout as “not a viable option.”
The league made multiple CBA proposals prior to the lockout, but none ever came close to being agreed to. MLBPA negotiator Bruce Meyer went so far as to call MLB’s submissions “radical.”
The two sides have long been at odds over various issues, including new rule changes, competitive integrity and service-time manipulation. Tensions have been particularly high since owners and players were unable to agree on an economics plan for the COVID-impacted 2020 season.
Key MLB dates
While the league and union still have the benefit of some time on their side, that will quickly go away. Spring Training games are not scheduled to begin until late next month, but pitchers and catchers are due report to camps on or around February 14.
Opening Day of the 2022 regular season is scheduled for March 31.
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