Originally from Journal of American Arbitration (JAA)

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I. INTRODUCTION

Baseball is a worldwide pastime of rich history and tradition.  Unfortunately, Major League Baseball (MLB) also has a history of failed negotiations and bitter feuds between players and team owners on the issue of player salaries.  The nature of player salary negotiations has evolved as bargaining power has shifted over the past fifty years.  The players unionized in 1965, creating what is now known as the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).   Since its inception, the MLBPA has developed an adversarial position to team owners, resulting in the need for a collective bargaining agreement and protocol for player-owner relations.