SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, February 9, 1995
3B
Clinton says it's Congress' turn at bat
'Umpire' needed to settle owner-player disagreement
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Clinton administration today proposed legislation to Congress that would create a three-member panel of independent arbitrators to settle the six-month-long baseball strike.
At the same time that House Speaker Newt Ginrich and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole were scuffing at any congressional role, Labor Secretary Robert Reich routed the administration-backed bill.
The bill, which was to be sponsored by Sen. Edward
M. Kennedy, D-Mass, and Rep. Pat Williams, D-Mont., would give Clinton authority to appoint a three-person panel of neutral arbitrators who would accept proposals and arguments from both sides and come up with a settlement.
No deadline would be imposed on the panel to come up with a plan, although the bill would specify that a plan should be drawn up "as soon as possible." The bill contains no back-to-work order provision. It would merely empower such a panel to dictate a settlement.
"If we want a 1995 baseball season, this may be the last resort," Reich said.
Gingrich told reporters that he thought the notion of intervention was "a very bad idea."
"We are not in a position today to rush into any decision. I am not closing the door... I just do not think that Congress should rush into it." he said.
Representatives of the players and owners left the capital sniping at each other and seeming to be further apart than they've been since the strike began Aug.12.
"This is not a request for a congressionally imposed solution," Clinton said of potential legislation to require binding arbitration. "It is a request for the only process we have left to us to find a solution through neutral parties. And the only way to do this appears to be for Congress to step up to the plate and pass the legislation. Unless they do, we may not have baseball in 1995."
arbitration is not the solution to this dispute and we reject the idea."
"The president has apparently thrown the ball into Congress' court. We maintain our view that Congress is ill-suited to resolving private labor disputes," Dole and Gingrich said in a joint statement.
Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, who heads the Labor and Human Resources Committee, also scoffed at the idea.
"I believe it is a bad idea for Congress to step into the middle of the dispute between the baseball owners and players," she said.
BudSollg
"If the American public wants baseball in 1995 they've got to let their views be known," Reich said on ABC's "Good Morning America." Reich said Clinton was busy with serious national and international problems, but "a lot of people care about baseball and the president wanted to give it his all. At least he tried."
Bud Solig acting baseball commissioner
Clinton has no legal power to end the strike and needs Republican support to approve a law calling for binding arbitration. It is a highly unusual step, usually reserved for national emergencies.
Spring camps are set to open a week from today, with or without regular major leaguers. Teams have signed replacement players. The exhibition season is scheduled to start March 1. Opening day is April 2.
Jerry McMorris, owner of the Colorado Rockies, said today on ABC that "there is no question that the season will
start. The question is who the players will be on the field."
In the talks Tuesday:
Players said they would agree to binding arbitration, but owners said they would not.
Owners accepted Usery's plan for an agreement, players did not.
Players said they would play the 1995 season under baseball's old business rules, owners said they wouldn't.
"Binding arbitration is not the solution to this dispute and we reject the idea," acting commissioner Bud Selig said.
Some questions and answers on the congressional involvement in resolving the baseball strike:
Q. Why do some members of Congress want to get involved?
A. Many say they are, first of all, fans. Beyond that, they give a number of reasons, including concern for the ushers, peanut vendors and others who depend on baseball for a living and the feeling that only Congress can prevent the 1995 season from being canceled and the resulting economic impact on communities.
Q. Is there an opposing view?
A. House Speaker Newt Gribich and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole said in a joint statement, "We maintain our view that Congress is ill-suited to resolving private labor disputes."
Q. What would be gained from intervention?
A. Lawmakers could reap favorable publicity by saving spring training sites from economic harm and by getting regular players on the field. There seems to be little political risk. Who would blame Congress for failing to settle the strike?
Q. Has Congress ever passed legislation to stop a sports strike?
Q. Is there a coordinated congressional strategy to end the strike?
A. No.
A. There's a two-tiered strategy, aimed first at ending the strike and second at changing the long-range player-owner relationship. The immediate tactic is to overcome the reluctance of Dole and Gingrich and to win votes for President Clinton's proposal for binding arbitration. The long-range plan is to end baseball's antitrust exemption, so players could sue owners on the grounds they act as an illegal monopoly.
Q. Are members of Congress hearing from constituents?
A. There is no evidence yet that lawmakers are receiving a significant number of calls or letters seeking their intervention in the strike.
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Rising revenues boost football salary cap
NFL teams have additional $4.9 million to spend on the players
The Associated Press
But he'd be happier if it went up just a bit more.
WASHING TON — Gene Upshaw is pleased that the NFL salary cap will grow by $2 million to $36.6 million for the 1995 season.
Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players' Association, said Tuesday that NFL teams have an additional $4.9 million to spend on player benefits, but cautioned that the numbers are likely to go up after accountants review the NFL's revenue estimates for 1995.
"This is only the preliminary number." Upshaw said, declining to discuss which portions of the NFL's revenue estimates are disputed. "At this point our work begins, and we'll look at all the things that are under dispute."
Player salaries in 1995 are set at 63 percent of gross NFL revenues, according to the 1993 collective bargaining agreement. The portion drops from 64 percent in 1994, but the cap figure increased because revenue projections are up from last year. The new numbers are based on revenue projections of $1.62 billion for the 28 teams.
Upshaw pointed out that the cap was revised twice last year before the $34.6 million figure was settled on.
"I would like to see us by March 15 or 16 come up with a number and stick with that number," he said. "Last year, we had a whole lot of stages."
He said he hoped to get the final figure above $37 million. With the expansion of the league to Charlotte and Jacksonville and the movement of the Rams to St. Louis, future NFL revenues are likely to increase as well, he said.
"We feel pretty safe about saying it's going to go up," Upshaw said. "The owners are good at making money."
The minimum salary for rookies goes from $108,000 to $120,000. The veteran minimum increases from $162,000 to $178,000.
The collective bargaining agreement has frequently been criticized by players. Some have been forced to accept salary cuts or have been cut from teams altogether to enable teams to meet the salary cap constraint.
Upshaw has noted that a number of teams were able to use incentives and pro-rated signing bonuses to spend more than the cap figure on player salaries.
He pointed to the San Francisco 49ers' success at building a champion team by using such devices to fit high-profile free agents, such as Deion Sanders and Rickey Jackson, under the salary cap.
The 49ers spent $35.4 million on player salaries in
1994, about $800,000 above the cap. The Washington
Redskins lost the most, $42.7 million, but finished with a 3-13 record.
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