This indicates that MLB knows it has violated March Agreement's "best efforts" provision & won't proceed if MLBPA intends to try to enforce the Agreement.
So, they both want out of the pro rata provision and the best efforts provision. Seems they really dislike their own work.
So, they both want out of the pro rata provision and the best efforts provision. Seems they really dislike their own work.
If it's not a waiver of the players' collective rights under the March Agreement, the other option is the waiver of individual claims regarding COVID related illness contracted because they are participating in work activities. If players would otherwise be self-quarantined, and
contract COVID, they will be placed on the IL-no loss of pay or service time. The real issue is if the players suffer serious injury due to COVID related illness & it affects their long-term career, or worse yet, a player dies. The presumption has to be that it was a workplace
related illness. The players would not have contracted COVID but for their participation in games and team related activities, including travel, hotels, etc. Pushing that onto individual players to self insure their careers is an absurd outcome that would lead to opt-outs galore.
This story by @JeffPassan indicates that it is fear of the grievance that is holding back scheduling. Here's the thing. Employers do things all the time that they know will result in grievances. When they know they are right, they proceed anyway. When they espn.com/mlb/story/_/id…
aren't sure, they frequently proceed anyway. When, they know they are wrong, they proceed at their own risk of damages under CBA or they preemptively settle. In this case, shutting down compounds the damages under the best efforts clause. It doesn't toll them, that's why I
thought the waivers may be for individual players not the Union. But, Manfred's quote implies that he doesn't feel confident enough he will win the grievance. It's almost a direct admission that he's in violation.
