Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Jackson Kowar, lower right, warms up in the outfield before the start of their baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021 in Kansas City, Mo. The Royals announced today that they’re exploring the possibility of a new baseball stadium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
NEW YORK (AP) — In the midst of difficult negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, Major League Baseball and its players’ association are scheduled to start a grievance hearing next Monday over the union’s claim the 2020 pandemic-affected season was too short.
The timing of the hearing was disclosed to The Associated Press on Tuesday by people familiar with the litigation who spoke on condition they not be identified.
Martin F. Scheinman, who took over as baseball’s impartial arbitrator after the clubs fired Mark L. Irvings, will hear the case over the coronavirus-impacted 2020 season. If the union prevails, MLB might be liable for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.
The hearing takes place as the sides are negotiating to replace the labor contract that expires Dec. 1. The sides are far apart in their central proposals thus far, and a lockout starting in December or on the eve of spring training in February appears possible. That would be the sport’s ninth work stoppage but first since the 7 1/2-month strike that wiped out the 1994 World Series.
MLB suspended spring training on March 13 last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Management and the union agreed March 26 “that each of the parties shall work in good faith to as soon as is practicable commence, play and complete the fullest 2020 championship season and post-season that is economically feasible, consistent with” several provisions.
