Labor Still Must Ratify Baseball Deal

NEW YORK (Reuter) -- The focus shifts to the baseball players union now that the owners have ratified a proposed contract to end three years of labor-management strife.

The executive board of the Major League Baseball Players Association must still sign off on the agreement approved Tuesday by the owners, 26-4. Those voting against were: the Chicago White Sox, the Kansas City Royals, the Cleveland Indians, and the Oakland A's.

The players association is expected to approve the five-year deal at meetings next week in Puerto Rico.

"With the conclusion of these negotiations, the dark cloud that has been hanging over the sport far too long will dissipate," players negotiator Donald Fehr said.

In approving the contract at their meetings in Chicago, the owners reversed their outright rejection of the contract in a vote earlier this month.

Key provisions of the deal include revenue sharing that will help the 13 clubs with the least cash flow; a luxury tax on team payrolls over $51 million; restrictions on free agency, and player service credit for time lost during the 1994 strike.

Another feature will be interleague play between the American and National Leagues beginning next season. Teams from corresponding divisions will play 15 or 16 games aginst each other, depending on the division. The owners and players would have to negotiate an extension of this provision beyond the 1997 season.

Baseball has been without a labor agreement since December 31, 1993. The 1994 players' strike was the biggest blow, wiping out the World Series for the first time since 1904 and knocking 18 games off the start of the 1995 season.

Intervention by a federal court judge ended the walkout.

• Baseball Owners Ratify Five-Year Agreement - Wed Nov 27 12:55 am