Dec 2, 2021 - Sports
MLB's worker empowerment moment
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The MLB entered its first work stoppage since 1995 after the players’ collective bargaining agreement expired at midnight this morning.
Why it matters: What’s happening with the players feels very similar to the larger labor movements taking place this year — workers are asking for a bigger piece of the pie commensurate with their value.
- The nuance with baseball is that workers (the players) want to earn more money earlier in their careers when they’re in their athletic prime.
One analogy: Imagine a younger John Deere factory worker was better at putting together tractors than his older counterparts (better hand-eye coordination, faster, etc.), but his union’s collective bargaining agreement stipulates that earnings are capped in the first six years of his career.
- By the time he can start earning real money in year seven, John Deere sees his skills are on the decline and offers him only a modest raise.
