Labor Secretary Marty Walsh Offers Help To End MLB Lockout

Topline

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh has reportedly offered his assistance to help end one of the most public and high-dollar labor disputes in the U.S. right now: the Major League Baseball lockout, which shows no signs the league’s players and owners are close to an agreement with just days to go until spring training is scheduled to start.

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House on April 2, … [+] 2021 in Washington. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

According to the Athletic, Walsh has reached out both to MLB owners and the MLB Players Association about negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Walsh’s offer for help appears to be an informal one, since the MLBPA rejected owners’ efforts last week to involve the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service involved in talks.

Spring training is still scheduled to begin on February 16, with exhibition games starting later in the month, but prospects of an on-time spring training are looking unlikely as the lockout drags on.

The work stoppage has been ongoing since December 2.

The Department of Labor did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes; Politico‘s Jonathan Lemire first reported Walsh’s possible involvement Monday morning.

Surprising Fact

It’s not uncommon for the labor secretary to intervene in high-profile disputes. In January, for example, about 700 nurses at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts, agreed to end a nearly 10-month strike after Walsh helped mediate a deal between the nurses’ union and the hospital’s owner, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare.

Crucial Quote

“Like any contract negotiation in any industry, I stand ready to help facilitate productive conversations that result in the best outcome for workers and employers,” a spokesperson for Walsh told the Athletic.

Key Background

Negotiations appear largely stalled as players and owners remain divided on numerous major issues, from minimum player salaries to how many teams should make it to the MLB playoffs. The two sides have met just four times since the work stoppage began and have made little progress on hashing out a new deal, even as the start of the season and the potential delay or cancellation of games becomes more likely.

What To Watch For

Opening Day of the 2022 regular season is set for March 31.

Tangent

Only three work stoppages in MLB history have led to games being canceled. The most notable was during the 1994-95 players’ strike, which led to the cancellation of the 1994 World Series.